Kennedy Center announces plans to celebrate JFK, India and Mexico in 2010-2011 season

Kennedy Center to stage celebrations of JFK, India

WASHINGTON — The living memorial to President John F. Kennedy is planning a two-week series of performances early next year to honor the 35th president and mark the 50th anniversary of his inauguration.

The tribute announced Tuesday, including a nod to a historic performance by cellist Pablo Casals, is part of the largest ever programming slate for the Kennedy Center. The 2010-2011 season also includes a festival of the arts and culture of India, a celebration of Mexico’s bicentennial and an expanded theater season.

“For the last 10 years we’ve been more and more building our credential as a presenter of international art,” Kennedy Center President Michael Kaiser said. “I think this season really confirms that.”

It will include works from theater companies in England, France, Ireland, Scotland and Russia. For the India festival, performers will showcase the dance, music, theater and visual arts from all sections of the country.

The center will mount its own revival of the Stephen Sondheim musical “Follies,” and will host touring productions of “Hair,” ”South Pacific,” ”Wicked” and “Next to Normal.”

The full schedule, including dance, a special focus on chamber music and jazz, and Christoph Eschenbach’s first year as music director of the National Symphony Orchestra, will represent the most the Kennedy Center has ever spent on programming. It amounts to about $85 million, a 6 percent increase over this season, despite the tough economy.

“I’m trying to save as much money behind the scenes so I can do as much on the stage,” Kaiser said. “No one gives you money because you have a great back-office operation.”

One of the biggest highlights will be the first ever series of tributes and performances commemorating the center’s namesake.

Fifty years after Kennedy’s inauguration, the National Symphony Orchestra will perform a new commission by composer Peter Lieberson on Jan. 20, 2011, with narration from the president’s speeches and writings.

“I look forward to an America which will reward achievement in the arts as we reward achievement in business and statecraft,” President Kennedy said less than a month before his death.

Later in the series, cellist Yo-Yo Ma will recreate a 1961 performance by Casals at the Kennedy White House, and mezzo-soprano Denyce Graves will recreate Grace Bumbry’s historic 1962 performance for the Kennedys. The American Ballet Theater will perform favorites of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis.

“Because of the spectacular role that the president and the first lady played in really bringing culture into the White House and putting culture into the forefront,” Kaiser said, “it seemed an appropriate thing to do.”

On the Net:

Kennedy Center: kennedy-center.org/