US EditionComposer Philip Glass withdraws 'Lincoln' symphony from the Kennedy Center
Philip Glass cites a conflict between the Kennedy Center's current leadership values and his symphony's message, joining multiple artists who have canceled performances since leadership changes.
- On January 27, 2026, Philip Glass announced he was withdrawing his Symphony No. 'Lincoln' from the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, cancelling its planned June 12 and June 13 premieres.
- Amid the center's rebranding and board overhaul last year, Philip Glass said the Kennedy Center's values under President Donald J. Trump's takeover clash with the symphony's message.
- A prominent figure in modern classical music, Philip Glass, 2018 Kennedy Center honoree, had the symphony commissioned by the National Symphony Orchestra and Kennedy Center for June 12-13, 2026, performances led by Grammy-winning conductor Karen Kamensek.
- Removing the premiere leaves the NSO and the '250 Years of Us' program altered, with Kennedy Center officials not immediately responding.
- Glass's move adds momentum to a wave of withdrawals that over the past year and in recent weeks included Renée Fleming, Béla Fleck, and the Washington National Opera amid Trump's chairmanship and board changes.
92 Articles
92 Articles
Composer Philip Glass pulls Lincoln-inspired symphony premiere from Kennedy Center, says Trump is in ‘direct conflict’ with show’s message
"Symphony No 15 is a portrait of Abraham Lincoln, and the values of the Kennedy Center today are in direct conflict with the message of the Symphony."
Philip Glass Withdraws Symphony 'Lincoln' Over Trump-Kennedy Center Name Change
Philip Glass Withdraws Symphony 'Lincoln' Over Trump-Kennedy Center Name Change American composer Philip Glass has pulled his Symphony No. 15, titled 'Lincoln,' from its world premiere at the Kennedy Center, citing the center's conflicting values following President Trump's takeover.The board's decision to rename the institution to the Donald J. Trump and John F. Kennedy Memorial Center has sparked multiple artist withdrawals, with Glass being t…
Philip Glass decided to cancel the premiere of Symphony No. 15, Lincoln at the Kennedy Center before the "new direction" that took place in the prestigious concert hall since Donald Trump's return to the White House. The artist, one of the most influential contemporary American composers, announced this Tuesday the measure through a statement. The premiere of the work that was commissioned by the Center to premiere in the framework of his 50th a…
The values of the Kennedy Center today clearly contradict the message of my Symphony, the famous composer wrote in a post on X
The acclaimed American composer Philip Glass announced on Tuesday that he will withdraw the world premiere of his Lincoln symphony from the Kennedy Center, the great arena for the performing arts of the U.S. capital, because he considers that “the values of his work conflict with those of the center,” currently taken by the Donald Trump administration.
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