Composer Philip Glass has withdrawn his upcoming Symphony No. 15, “Lincoln,” from the Kennedy Center, citing a direct conflict with the institution’s values under President Donald Trump.
“After thoughtful consideration, I have decided to withdraw my Symphony No. 15 ‘Lincoln’ from the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts,” Glass said in a statement on X. “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.”
The 40-minute orchestral work, which incorporates text from Abraham Lincoln, was scheduled for its world premiere in June. The eight-part symphony includes movements titled Lyceum Address, Autobiography, Slavery, The End of the War, and Farewell Address.
Glass joins a growing list of artists who have canceled performances at the renamed Trump Kennedy Center. Recent withdrawals include Issa Rae, the Hamilton cast led by Lin-Manuel Miranda, Renee Fleming, Stephen Schwartz, The Washington National Opera, Bela Fleck, jazz ensembles The Cookers and Billy Hart, Doug Varone and Dancers, Chuck Redd, and singer Kristy Lee.
The controversy follows Trump’s December announcement placing his name on the Kennedy Center’s exterior, restructuring the board with his supporters, and appointing himself chairman.
Glass, 88, has a long history with the arts institution, having received a Kennedy Center Honors award in 2018. Over his career, he has composed 14 symphonies, 15 operas, 12 concertos, and numerous film scores, earning three Academy Award nominations for Kundun (1997), The Hours (2002), and Notes on a Scandal (2006). His operatic works include Einstein on the Beach (1976), Satyagraha (1980), Akhnaten (1983), The Voyage (1992), and The Perfect American (2013).
In his statement, Glass emphasized the ethical responsibility he felt to withdraw the symphony from an institution whose current leadership conflicts with the values his music seeks to convey.
