When it comes down to throwing a stylish bash, few venues in the District do it up better than the Kennedy Center. On Sunday, this iconic monument to educational and artistic programming in the performing arts will present its 19th Annual Kennedy Center Spring Gala, Michael Kaiser at the Kennedy Center: A Celebration of Ten Years.
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| For additional information on the Spring Gala, log on to kennedy-center.org or call 202-416-8338 |
“The Spring Gala is always a popular event, but this is a very special year,” said Leslie Miller, director of special events, who has planned the galas for the past 15 years. “Our president, Michael Kaiser, has been at the Kennedy Center for 10 years, and the evening is a celebration of his contributions.”
Hosted by Smokey Robinson, performers will include those who have worked with Kaiser over the years, such as Joshua Bell, Barbara Cook, Renee Fleming, Audra McDonald, Brian Stokes Mitchell, members of the New York City Ballet and the National Symphony Orchestra conducted by Christoph Eschenbach.
Since 2001, Kaiser has been the driving force behind the expansion of educational and artistic programming at the Kennedy Center. Additionally, he has overseen a major renovation in most of the center’s theaters. Audiences have Kaiser to thank for major arts festivals at Kennedy that include the offerings of China, Japan, India and the 22 countries in the Arab world. Ballet, theater and gospel festivals have been credited to his unique ability to forge long-term relationships with the likes of the New York City Ballet and the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre. In 2009, he founded Arts in Crisis: A Kennedy Center Initiative and proceeded on a 50-state tour to spread his arts expertise across the country — there is little doubt the night belongs to him.
The evening gets under way with a reception on the River Terrace at 5 p.m. followed by an elegant dinner on the Roof Terrace at 6 p.m. The performance begins at 8:30 p.m. The evening concludes with ‘Til Midnight, a cocktails and dancing party in the Roof Terrace Restaurant.
Packages are still available for the entire night’s celebration or for the concert only, with tickets ranging in price from $35 to $150.
“Anyone attending the [gala tonight] is in for a very special evening,” Miller enthused.
