Around the Music Festival

A member of the U.S. House of Representatives recently submitted a bill to Congress to rename the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C., to the Donald J. Trump Center for the Performing Arts. Regarding the Kennedy Center, a bill has already been submitted by another legislator to name the opera house at the center after First Lady Melania Trump.

The bill to rename the center was introduced by Republican Representative Bob Onder (Missouri) in the House of Representatives, while the bill to rename the opera house was introduced by Republican Representative Mike Simpson (Idaho) in the House of Representatives.

According to local reports, Onder cited as his reason for the proposal, “The President’s love for entertainment and his expertise in the field have withstood the test of time and continued to captivate Americans for decades.” The House of Representatives, which has recessed, will resume its session in September, at which point the bill will be taken up for consideration.

The Kennedy Center opened in 1971 on the banks of the Potomac River as a memorial to former President John F. Kennedy. The center houses the Concert Hall (seating 2,442), home to the National Symphony Orchestra; the Opera House (seating 2,300); the Eisenhower Theater (seating 1,100); the Family Theater (seating 324); and the Terrace Theater (seating 513).Approximately 2,000 performances of music, theater, and other events are held annually, attracting around 2 million visitors.

President Trump had long been dissatisfied with the liberal values reflected in the theater’s performances, leading him to replace all board members, including Chairman David Rubenstein and President Deborah Rutter, shortly after taking office, and appointing himself as chairman.

In June, when the couple attended a performance of “Les Misérables,” they were met with boos from the audience. However, in July, the center allocated over $250 million—approximately six times its previous budget—to the center, demonstrating significant action.

PHOTO：Theatre Washington