The National Symphony Orchestra is preparing to take center stage at the legendary Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles, as the Kennedy Center in Washington DC prepares for a Trump-mandated closure.
The NSO will make its Hollywood Bowl debut on August 18 at 8 p.m., performing Peter Boyer’s new piece, American Mosaic, as part of the America 250 celebration.
The piece honors America’s diverse culture and is especially meaningful for DC and Los Angeles, two cities that represent different parts of the nation’s story.
Jean Davidson, Executive Director of the National Symphony Orchestra, said: “Making our debut at the Hollywood Bowl is a landmark moment for the National Symphony Orchestra.
“To bring a powerful new American work like American Mosaic to one of the most iconic stages in the country reflects our commitment to sharing the breadth of America’s musical voice with communities nationwide. We couldn’t be more thrilled to perform there for the first time.”
The high-profile West Coast appearance comes at a transformative time for the orchestra’s home venue.
The transition began late last year, when President Trump announced his plan to rename the building by placing his name on the main front ahead of Kennedy’s, which drew sharp opposition from members of Congress and several Kennedy family members.
Since Trump’s return to the White House, the Kennedy Center has become the latest in a string of DC landmarks marked for dramatic change.
He has already demolished the White House’s East Wing for a lavish $400 million ballroom, is pushing for a grand arch near the Lincoln Memorial and now has his eyes set on Washington Dulles International Airport.
The situation reached a turning point on February 1, when Trump announced plans to close the Kennedy Center for two years starting in July for construction.
He broke the news on social media after a wave of cancellations from top performers and groups, sparked by his ousting of previous leadership and the addition of his own name to the building.
Trump wrote: “This important decision, based on input from many Highly Respected Experts, will take a tired, broken, and dilapidated Center, one that has been in bad condition, both financially and structurally, for many years, and turn it into a World Class Bastion of Arts, Music, and Entertainment.”
His decision to renovate the Kennedy Center sparked backlash, disrupting a beloved venue that began as a national cultural hub and was later rededicated as a living memorial to President John F. Kennedy.
Since opening in 1971, the center has been a year-round home for the arts, hosting the National Symphony Orchestra and many performances.
Following the announcement, the Washington National Opera said it will also move performances away from the Kennedy Center, another high-profile departure after the president’s takeover of the US capital’s leading performing arts venue.