Embodying Kennedy’s Ideals
Founded as the living memorial to President Kennedy, the Kennedy Center’s very mission is to embody the enduring ideals often ascribed to JFK—Courage, Freedom, Justice, Service, and Gratitude—as a place that explores, challenges, and reflects the contemporary spirit of America.
Guided by JFK’s legacy of idealism, hope, and empowerment, the Kennedy Center serves as both a catalyst and a meeting place where artists and the community can connect through the work presented on our stages—to exchange ideas and actively participate in the civic and cultural life of our country.
“Art means more than the resuscitation of the past: it means the free and unconfined search for new ways of expressing the experience of the present and the vision of the future.”
—John F. Kennedy
Portraits of Courage
Sonic Portraits: Yemandja
Inspired by her ancestors, her family, and Africa’s resilience, singer and storyteller extraordinaire Angélique Kidjo conjures up Yemandja, a timely theatrical work that is at once a family drama and historical thriller, redolent of Greek tragedy and infused with themes of love, betrayal, honor, free will, and the horror and injustice of slavery. Conceived by three-time Grammy-winner Kidjo and a stellar team of creative collaborators, Yemandja made its D.C. premiere May 6 & 7, 2022 at the Kennedy Center. Featuring a cast of eight performers and four musicians, this Kennedy Center co-commission is a work of magical realism that illuminates what happens when people are robbed of their culture.
Yemandja
Sonic Portraits: Yemandja
Inspired by her ancestors, her family, and Africa’s resilience, singer and storyteller extraordinaire Angélique Kidjo conjures up Yemandja, a timely theatrical work that is at once a family drama and historical thriller, redolent of Greek tragedy and infused with themes of love, betrayal, honor, free will, and the horror and injustice of slavery. Conceived by three-time Grammy-winner Kidjo and a stellar team of creative collaborators, Yemandja made its D.C. premiere May 6 & 7, 2022 at the Kennedy Center. Featuring a cast of eight performers and four musicians, this Kennedy Center co-commission is a work of magical realism that illuminates what happens when people are robbed of their culture.
Journies to Freedom
Written in Stone
Washington National Opera commissioned four teams of world-renowned artists, musicians, composers, and librettists to create a series of short works that was performed together for a six-performance run, March 5-25, 2022, in the Eisenhower Theater. Inspired by Washington D.C.’s iconic monuments and the ideals embodied by President Kennedy, the four intimate stories that comprise Written in Stone celebrated the diversity and acknowledged the struggles of today’s America. The creative teams included Jason Moran and Alicia Hall Moran, Huang Ruo and David Henry Hwang, Kamala Sankaram and A.M. Homes, and Carlos Simon and Marc Bamuthi Joseph.
Pathways to Justice
The Cartography Project
Created as a Kennedy Center curatorial music program and one of the eight channels of its Social Impact work, The Cartography Project is a multi-year commissioning project engaging artists from around the nation to respond to extrajudicial killings that have galvanized the country. Comprising eight works, the commissions will create a musical map of these incidents and premiere during the 50th season. The National Symphony Orchestra commissioned Jessica Mays, Nathaniel Heyder, and Derek Douglas Carter to create four chamber works. Washington National Opera worked with composer/librettist teams B.E. Boykin and Brittny Ray Crowell, Jasmine Barnes and Joshua Banbury, Liz Gre and Junauda Petrus-Nash, and Jens Ibsen and Yasmina Ibsen to create short vocal works. Additionally, newly appointed Composer-in-Residence Carlos Simon, in collaboration with Kennedy Center Vice President and Artistic Director of Social Impact Marc Bamuthi Joseph, created an overarching work centering the concept of “Black Dignity” that underlies the project.
Reflections of Service
Introducing ²ÝÝ®ÊÓƵÃâ·Ñ°æapp Next 50
A soccer player. A poet. A chef. A comedian. A ballerina. Leadership crosses the boundaries of genre, medium, and discipline.
As part of our 50th anniversary and with input from artists, cultural leaders, arts organizations, and community members, the Kennedy Center sought to discover leaders who are moving us toward a more inspired, inclusive, and compassionate world. Now, we’re thrilled to introduce ²ÝÝ®ÊÓƵÃâ·Ñ°æapp Next 50—50 leaders and organizations that, through sustained excellence of artistic, educational, athletic, or multi-disciplinary work, are lighting the way forward.
These 50 cultural leaders will take part in Kennedy Center programs, forums, residencies, and events—such as Arts Summit, the Center’s annual convening investigating the power and potential of the arts—and work with the Kennedy Center to create opportunities for discourse with civic leaders to ensure that the voices of artistic and cultural leaders are lifted and heard.
²ÝÝ®ÊÓƵÃâ·Ñ°æapp Next 50 is brought to you by Meta.
Introducing ²ÝÝ®ÊÓƵÃâ·Ñ°æapp Next 50
A soccer player. A poet. A chef. A comedian. A ballerina. Leadership crosses the boundaries of genre, medium, and discipline.
As part of our 50th anniversary and with input from artists, cultural leaders, arts organizations, and community members, the Kennedy Center sought to discover leaders who are moving us toward a more inspired, inclusive, and compassionate world. Now, we’re thrilled to introduce ²ÝÝ®ÊÓƵÃâ·Ñ°æapp Next 50—50 leaders and organizations that, through sustained excellence of artistic, educational, athletic, or multi-disciplinary work, are lighting the way forward.
These 50 cultural leaders will take part in Kennedy Center programs, forums, residencies, and events—such as Arts Summit, the Center’s annual convening investigating the power and potential of the arts—and work with the Kennedy Center to create opportunities for discourse with civic leaders to ensure that the voices of artistic and cultural leaders are lifted and heard.
²ÝÝ®ÊÓƵÃâ·Ñ°æapp Next 50 is brought to you by Meta.
Expressions of Gratitude
Sponsors
Thank you to the following Sponsors
Boeing
The Irene Pollin Audience Development and Community Engagement Initiatives
The Roger and Victoria Sant Trust
Fred Eychaner Fund
The Morris and Gwendolyn Cafritz Foundation
The Ford Foundation
David C. Frederick and Sophia Lynn
The Orlebeke Foundation
Mellon Foundation
Microsoft Corporation
The Buffy and William Cafritz Foundation
The Honorable Stuart Bernstein and Wilma E. Bernstein
The Dr. Gerald and Paula McNichols Foundation
The National Committee for the Performing Arts
Discover India Initiatives
The Travelers Company, Inc
David M. Rubenstein
Cornerstone of the Reach
Thank you to our sponsors for their generous support of programming in our 50th anniversary season.