The Kennedy Center

I had wanted to visit the Kennedy Center because I had heard Leonard Bernstein's Mass in Barcelona.  An amazing piece of music that was composed for the opening of the Kennedy Center in 1971. Of interest is that the music is based on the Catholic Mass.  The Kennedy’s were Catholics but Leonard Bernstein was Jewish. Anyhow via the Metro and a free shuttle we arrived in time for a “Happy Hour” followed by a free (daily) 6 pm concert. It was music from Mali by a band called BKO. It was crowded and the band got the audience clapping and dancing.

We had a dinner in the excellent cafeteria and then went and saw the Disney Broadway show “Aladdin” in the Opera House (holds 2,314 audience). It was a slick and enjoyable musical theatre production with a spectacular flying carpet. The audience seemed to know it well so I guess it is based on a Disney movie.

The Kennedy Center was designed by Edward Durrell Stone. It cost almost $78 Million to build. Many countries made donations. There is a theatre which seats 1,164 people. There is a concert hall that seats 2,441 people. A musician we met said they were going to perform Bernstein’s mass again in 2021 for the 50th anniversary. On the roof is a terrace where the “Happy Hour” occurred and there was quite a crowd.