However, Richard Grenell, the center's president, dismissed these reports, claiming on X that Schwartz never had a commitment to attend an upcoming gala and labeled the cancellation rumors as totally bogus.
Schwartz, who has received both an Oscar and a Grammy, is among several artists who decided to cancel their appearances in light of the recent developments. The decision to rename the institution sparked widespread debate and criticism.
In a conversation with the BBC, Schwartz recalled being invited in early 2024 by the artistic director of the Washington National Opera to participate in the gala, after which he had minimal communication about the event and assumed it had been called off until he heard from a reporter last week. The Kennedy Center's website had initially listed him for the gala but later removed his name from the schedule.
The Kennedy Center was founded to be an apolitical home for free artistic expression for artists of all nationalities and ideologies, Schwartz said. It is no longer apolitical, and appearing there has now become an ideological statement. As long as that remains the case, I will not appear there.
Meanwhile, Mr. Grenell refuted Schwartz's claims and remarked, The Stephen Schwartz reports are totally bogus. Shame on the woke high school reporters repeating it. He further asserted that no agreement was ever made regarding Schwartz's appearance.
In a broader context, other acts have also canceled performances at the Kennedy Center. The veteran jazz band The Cookers cancelled their New Year's Eve shows, while Doug Varone and Dancers withdrew from their scheduled performances in April, citing the name change as their reason for cancellation.
Grenell characterized these cancellations as a form of derangement syndrome and has even threatened legal action for damages, branding the name changes a political stunt.
The decision to rename the center to The Donald J Trump and John F. Kennedy Memorial Center for the Performing Arts has heightened scrutiny among lawmakers and some members of Kennedy's family, who maintain that such a name change goes against the center's founding principles and legacy.
Joe Kennedy III, the grandnephew of the late president, voiced his strong dissent, stating that the venue serves as a living memorial to JFK, protected by federal law and cannot simply be renamed.
