“ ‘Hamilton’ and its creative team—composer-lyricist Lin-Manuel Miranda, director Thomas Kail, music director Alex Lacamoire, and choreographer Andy Blankenbuehler—will receive a special honor,” at the Kennedy Center Honors later this year, writes Peggy McGlone in Wednesday’s (7/25) Washington Post. “The Dec. 2 ceremony … also salutes the lifetime achievements of composer Philip Glass, singer-actresses Cher and Reba McEntire, and jazz musician Wayne Shorter. Kennedy Center President Deborah Rutter acknowledged that the decision to honor a work of art is a dramatic change in the Honors’ four-decade history, but she said it was warranted because of ‘Hamilton’s’ enormous influence…. A highlight of Washington’s social calendar, the Honors feature top artists who perform while the honorees … watch from the [Kennedy Center] Opera House’s box tier. The performance will be broadcast on Dec. 26 on CBS…. Born in Baltimore and educated at the University of Chicago and Juilliard, Glass has written music for opera, dance and film. His opera ‘Appomattox’ was presented by Washington National Opera at the Kennedy Center in 2015. His credits include the opera ‘Einstein on the Beach’ and scores for such films as ‘Kundun’ and ‘The Truman Show.’ ”
Posted July 26, 2018
