Washington, D.C., is best known as the center of political power in the nation, but it is also one of the United States' preeminent cities for the arts. With respected museums such as the Smithsonian Institution and the National Gallery of Art, playhouses like the Arena Stage and the Shakespeare Theatre and alternative galleries and music clubs in eclectic neighborhoods like Dupont Circle and Adams Morgan, D.C. is firmly entrenched as a capital for more just the country's politicians.
One venue, however, stands out from the rest. For nearly three-and-a-half decades, the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts (known to the locals as simply the Kennedy Center) has shimmered brightly on the banks of the Potomac while serving as a point of convergence for many forms of art.
This magnificent structure, which will celebrate its 35th anniversary this September, houses some of the finest performance groups and theatrical stars in the country. With three sizable performance spaces designed for operas, orchestral concerts and theatrical performances, it is possible for the Kennedy Center to produce a Spanish zarzuela featuring Pavarotti, a Mozart retrospective played by the National Symphony Orchestra and the Royal Ballet dancing Tchaikovsky's "The Sleeping Beauty" all in the same night.
Not only are these spaces state-of-the-art in terms of acoustics and accessibility, but they also feature crystal chandeliers from Norway, golden silk curtains from Japan, and walls of East Indian laurel wood. With these lavish touches and a steady stream of fresh stars from the world of the performing arts, this living monument to the memory of President Kennedy is unmatched in the city for the variety and ambiance of its programs.
As a place that presents lavish operas and classical music concerts, the Kennedy Center might seem like a haven only for the rich. With a progressive Specially Priced Ticket program and the recurring "Performing Arts for Everyone" initiative, the Kennedy Center has many opportunities for the general public to see free or discounted performances. The Specially Priced Ticket program is a boon for specific groups such as the elderly, the disabled, military personnel, those on fixed incomes and - last but not least - students. It allows each of these groups the chance to pay only half the normal ticket price for shows at any of the main theatres in the Center.
While this opportunity is often subject to availability restrictions, an excellent strategy can be to closely monitor the ticket sales of a particular show. If the performance is not sold out several hours before the curtain goes up, then often these specialty groups can snag some cheap tickets.
Kate Seigfried, a rising senior in the School of International Service, has taken advantage of the Kennedy Center's discount tickets.
"Every performance has been amazing. The ballet was breathtaking," Seigfried said. "It is really an experience to go because you can feel an energy in the building that you don't receive at other places around the city."
The Millennium Stage, one of the programs started under the "Performing Arts for Everyone" initiative, is an even better deal. Every day at 6 p.m. - even Christmas and July 4 - there's a scheduled show outside the three major performances spaces where the Millennium Stage is located. One day there might be staged readings of Shakespearean classics, while the next might feature Afro-Mex music from the Veracruz state of Mexico. The best part of this deal is that it is completely free to the public and anyone is encouraged to come and watch.
In 1971, the Kennedy Center was inaugurated as a unique public and private partnership that accepted subsidies from the federal government but also charged for performances and encouraged private donations. In the ensuing 35 years, the Kennedy Center has used those funds to not only become one of the most technologically advanced and aesthetically pleasing centers of performing arts in the country, but it has also taken great strides in opening culturally diverse doors to people who were not aware of or could not normally afford such pleasures.
