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Washington National Opera: Holiday Family Opera: The Lion, the Unicorn, and Me
Friday, December 14, 2018 - Sunday, December 16, 2018 TicketsNational Symphony Orchestra: Handel's Messiah
Thursday, December 20, 2018 - Sunday, December 23, 2018 TicketsA Jazz New Year's Eve: Patti Austin's Bebop Hip Hop Ella featuring Trevor Lawrence Jr.
Monday, December 31, 2018 TicketsGet Exclusive Events
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New & Noteworthy
Ballet Across America Celebrates Women's Creativity and Leadership
Exploring the breadth and depth of artistry within American ballet, the Kennedy Center’s Ballet Across America series returns May 28–June 2 for seven performances in the Opera House. This season’s engagement features deeper looks at women in ballet with companies led by distinguished Artistic Directors, Virginia Johnson (Dance Theatre of Harlem) and Lourdes Lopez (Miami City Ballet), and works choreographed by women. Dance Theatre of Harlem performs a co-commission by Claudia Schreier and Jessie Montgomery, and both companies are featured in a world premiere Kennedy Center commission by renowned choreographer Pam Tanowitz for a one-night-only celebration on May 31.
Ballet Across America Celebrates Women's Creativity and Leadership: Learn MoreMarc Bamuthi Joseph Appointed as Vice President and Artistic Director of Social Impact
Multi-hyphenate artist and national arts leader Marc Bamuthi Joseph will join the Kennedy Center, effective Jan. 1, 2019 in the newly created role of Vice President and Artistic Director of Social Impact, charged with weaving together and advancing the Center’s many and varied local and national community engagement initiatives. “Marc is a transformative force on stage and behind the scenes, and the Kennedy Center and our entire community will benefit immensely from the creativity, passion, and dedication he brings to his craft and to the pivotal role that the arts play in shaping our social landscape,” commented Deborah F. Rutter, Kennedy Center President. “As we move towards the opening of the REACH in 2019, and our 50th anniversary in 2021–2022, Marc will lead us in thinking through the role of the Kennedy Center in relation to our local community and to the arts community at large. We are so very thrilled to welcome him to Washington.”
Marc Bamuthi Joseph Appointed as Vice President and Artistic Director of Social Impact: Learn MoreDIRECT CURRENT Returns for a Second Season
The Kennedy Center’s two-week celebration of contemporary culture returns March 25–April 7, offering new works, interdisciplinary creations, and creative responses to topical concerns. Showcasing some of the most provocative, original, and pioneering voices in the arts today, DIRECT CURRENT takes place at the Kennedy Center and throughout D.C. at alternative venues, to expand the growing audience for contemporary culture in the nation’s capital. Three of the Kennedy Center’s resident artistic leaders—Composer-in-Residence Mason Bates, Artistic Director for Jazz Jason Moran, and DEMO series director Damian Woetzel—contributed to the programming, which includes talks with prominent thought leaders. Participating artists include composers Caroline Shaw and Du Yun, the National Symphony Orchestra, Bon Iver, Bill T. Jones, and many other world-class collaborators. Tickets are on sale now.
DIRECT CURRENT Returns for a Second Season: Learn MoreKennedy Center News Now Online
Kennedy Center News is now available to read online! The January-February issue features ballet and dance performances from American Ballet Theatre, National Ballet of China, Matthew Bourne's New Adventures, and Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater; The Lightning Thief: The Percy Jackson Musical; Tap Dogs; NeoArctic from Denmark's Hotel Pro Forma and the Latvian Radio Choir; our annual Lunar New Year celebration; and much more!
Kennedy Center News Now Online: Learn More