The composer of the musical Wicked has said he will not appear at the Kennedy Center after its board voted to include US President Donald Trump's name in the name of the venue.
Stephen Schwartz said in a statement that appearing at the centre has now become an ideological statement, adding: As long as that remains the case, I will not appear there.
But Richard Grenell, the center's president, wrote on X that the reports of him pulling out of a gala in May were totally bogus and that he had never been signed to attend.
The Oscar and Grammy-award winning composer is the latest artist to say they will no longer appear at the national cultural institution over the recent changes.
Schwartz told the BBC that he was contacted by the artistic director of the Washington National Opera to participate in the May event with them in late 2024. However, he received little communication since last February and assumed it was no longer taking place.
After being informed about the gala's announcement on the Kennedy Center schedule, he found he had been listed as participating but that information was removed from the site shortly after.
The Kennedy Center was founded to be an apolitical home for free artistic expression for artists of all nationalities and ideologies, Schwartz stated. 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.
Mr Grenell swiftly countered Schwartz's claims, labeling the reports as incorrect and denouncing the media for perpetuating them.
Two musical acts had previously canceled their appearances this week, with a veteran jazz band stating their decision came very quickly without mentioning Trump or the Kennedy Center explicitly. Another performance was also canceled due to the name change, with the group expressing their inability to support the institution under its new name.
Mr Grenell called these cancellations a form of derangement syndrome, while emphasizing that the Kennedy Center is not solely defined by its new designation. The center's board recently voted to change its name to the Donald J Trump and John F Kennedy Memorial Center for the Performing Arts, which has sparked legal debates and significant public backlash.
Prominent figures, including family members of the late president, have voiced their opposition to the name change, asserting the venue should maintain its original legacy as a memorial.
