logo
Editorial: We knew Deborah Rutter at the Chicago Symphony. She did not fail the Kennedy Center.

Editorial: We knew Deborah Rutter at the Chicago Symphony. She did not fail the Kennedy Center.

Chicago Tribune28-05-2025

When Deborah Rutter became president of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra in 2003, she inherited an institution with debt from a massive renovation project and that was suffering a serious drop in attendance and thus box office revenue.
By the time she left in 2014 to assume the presidency of the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., the CSO was 'on its most solid financial footing in years, with one of the world's most renowned conductors, Riccardo Muti, serving as its music director to raise the artistic bar while drawing large audiences to programs at Symphony Center and beyond,' reported Heather Gillers and Mark Caro in the Tribune that year.
Here is what Rutter said to those reporters about her job in the nation's capital: 'Fundamentally what we do is we care and nurture for music and musicians and try and steward an institution to serve an audience, so at the very core it's exactly the same job. But the world around us changes.'
The sting was in the tail of that quotation. Boy, did it ever change. Probably far more than Rutter possibly could have anticipated.
After a decade in her new job, she was effectively fired by a president of the United States, bound and determined to move the arts center in a direction in line with the priorities of his administration.
Trump did not just say 'thank you for your service and we are going in a new direction,' which arguably was within his right to do, given the unique relationship the Kennedy Center has with the federal government. He attacked Rutter for what he called her 'bad management,' accusing her of programming stuff he personally did not want to see (to each his own) and of wasting millions of dollars. 'I don't know where they spent it,' Trump said last week. 'They certainly didn't spend it on wallpaper, carpet or painting.'
The last time we were in the Kennedy Center, just a few weeks ago, we did not witness a problem with the decor, but we did appreciate the programming. Indeed, the verdict on Rutter's tenure when we were there was that she had been a highly effective arts administrator and the polar opposite of a narrow ideologue. Look at what she told NPR after her firing: 'I am a professional arts attendee. I am a believer in the work of the artist. I am not a propagandist. I am not a politician. Art speaks for itself. Art sometimes doesn't make you feel comfortable, but it is telling the story of who we are and all artists, as all Americans, have the freedom of expression.'
Indeed they do. Indeed they must. As all Americans, Democrats and Republicans, should understand.
Those words match our long experience with Rutter in Chicago, when she was a distinguished steward of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, one of our most precious civic assets. We were sad to lose her in 2014 and regret that her important work in our nation's capital had so unpleasant an ending.

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Trump plans to attend 'Les Misérables' at the Kennedy Center

timean hour ago

Trump plans to attend 'Les Misérables' at the Kennedy Center

WASHINGTON -- President Donald Trump is set to take a seat at Wednesday's opening night of the award-winning musical 'Les Misérables" at the Kennedy Center, where he replaced the previous leadership with loyalists, had himself installed as chairman and pledged to rid the performing arts venue of programming he has complained is 'woke' and too focused on leftist ideology and political correctness. The Republican president's attendance at the sold-out showing of the Tony Award-winning tale of redemption in 19th century France comes as he has focused more than any recent predecessor on the arts center along the Potomac River that is a memorial to a slain Democratic president. Presidents' involvement in the Kennedy Center's affairs had been limited to naming members to the board of trustees and attending the taping of its annual honors program in the fall. But after returning to office in January, Trump stunned the arts world by firing the Kennedy Center's longtime director and board and replacing them with loyalists, who then named him as chairman, and promising to overhaul its programming, management and even appearance as part of an effort to put his stamp on the national arts scene. Trump's appearance in the Opera House on Wednesday, accompanied by first lady Melania Trump, will also mark his first time at a Kennedy Center performance as president. He avoided the venue after entertainment industry pushback to his policies in his first term in office, breaking with presidential tradition by never attending the annual Kennedy Center Honors taping. His moves have upset some of the center's patrons and performers. In March, the audience booed Vice President JD Vance and his wife, Usha, after they slipped into upper-level seats in the Concert Hall to hear the National Symphony Orchestra. Trump appointed Usha Vance to the Kennedy Center board along with White House chief of staff Susie Wiles, Attorney General Pam Bondi and Fox News Channel hosts Maria Bartiromo and Laura Ingraham, among other supporters. Sales of subscription packages are said to have declined since Trump's takeover, and several touring productions, including 'Hamilton,' have canceled planned runs at the center. Artists such as actor Issa Rae and musician Rhiannon Giddens scrapped scheduled appearances, and Kennedy Center consultants including musician Ben Folds and singer Renée Fleming have resigned. Understudies may perform Wednesday night due to boycotts by 'Les Misérables' cast members. Since returning to the White House in January, Trump has adopted a more aggressive posture toward the arts. The White House has taken steps to cancel millions of dollars in previously awarded federal humanities grants to arts and culture groups, and Trump's budget blueprint proposed eliminating the National Endowment for the Arts and the National Endowment for the Humanities. Trump has also targeted Smithsonian museums by signing executive orders to restrict their funding and by attempting to fire the director of the National Portrait Gallery. Trump hosted the board at the White House for dinner in May and said congressional Republicans have pushed for more than $250 million for repairs and maintenance at the Kennedy Center. He claimed that 'tremendous amounts of money' had been spent at the center but 'they certainly didn't spend it on wallpaper, carpet or painting.' He characterized previous programming as 'out of control with rampant political propaganda' and said it featured 'some very inappropriate shows,' including a 'Marxist anti-police performance' and 'Lesbian-only Shakespeare.' Trump cited some drag show performances as a reason to take control of the center, though next season's theater lineup includes 'Mrs. Doubtfire," which tells the story of a divorced man who disguises himself as a female nanny so he can spend time with his children. Trump also visited the Kennedy Center in March to preside over a board meeting and take a tour. The Kennedy Center, which is supported by government money and private donations, opened in 1971 and for decades has been seen as an apolitical celebration of the arts. It was first conceived in the late 1950s, during the administration of Republican President Dwight Eisenhower, who backed a bill from the Democratic-led Congress calling for a National Culture Center. In the early 1960s, Democratic President John F. Kennedy launched a fundraising initiative, and his successor, President Lyndon B. Johnson, signed into law a 1964 bill renaming the project the John F. Kennedy Memorial Center for the Performing Arts. Kennedy had been assassinated the year before.

Trump plans to attend 'Les Misérables' at the Kennedy Center after taking over the institution
Trump plans to attend 'Les Misérables' at the Kennedy Center after taking over the institution

Yahoo

timean hour ago

  • Yahoo

Trump plans to attend 'Les Misérables' at the Kennedy Center after taking over the institution

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump is set to take a seat at Wednesday's opening night of the award-winning musical 'Les Misérables" at the Kennedy Center, where he replaced the previous leadership with loyalists, had himself installed as chairman and pledged to rid the performing arts venue of programming he has complained is 'woke' and too focused on leftist ideology and political correctness. The Republican president's attendance at the sold-out showing of the Tony Award-winning tale of redemption in 19th century France comes as he has focused more than any recent predecessor on the arts center along the Potomac River that is a memorial to a slain Democratic president. Presidents' involvement in the Kennedy Center's affairs had been limited to naming members to the board of trustees and attending the taping of its annual honors program in the fall. But after returning to office in January, Trump stunned the arts world by firing the Kennedy Center's longtime director and board and replacing them with loyalists, who then named him as chairman, and promising to overhaul its programming, management and even appearance as part of an effort to put his stamp on the national arts scene. Trump's appearance in the Opera House on Wednesday, accompanied by first lady Melania Trump, will also mark his first time at a Kennedy Center performance as president. He avoided the venue after entertainment industry pushback to his policies in his first term in office, breaking with presidential tradition by never attending the annual Kennedy Center Honors taping. His moves have upset some of the center's patrons and performers. In March, the audience booed Vice President JD Vance and his wife, Usha, after they slipped into upper-level seats in the Concert Hall to hear the National Symphony Orchestra. Trump appointed Usha Vance to the Kennedy Center board along with White House chief of staff Susie Wiles, Attorney General Pam Bondi and Fox News Channel hosts Maria Bartiromo and Laura Ingraham, among other supporters. Sales of subscription packages are said to have declined since Trump's takeover, and several touring productions, including 'Hamilton,' have canceled planned runs at the center. Artists such as actor Issa Rae and musician Rhiannon Giddens scrapped scheduled appearances, and Kennedy Center consultants including musician Ben Folds and singer Renée Fleming have resigned. Understudies may perform Wednesday night due to boycotts by 'Les Misérables' cast members. Since returning to the White House in January, Trump has adopted a more aggressive posture toward the arts. The White House has taken steps to cancel millions of dollars in previously awarded federal humanities grants to arts and culture groups, and Trump's budget blueprint proposed eliminating the National Endowment for the Arts and the National Endowment for the Humanities. Trump has also targeted Smithsonian museums by signing executive orders to restrict their funding and by attempting to fire the director of the National Portrait Gallery. Trump hosted the board at the White House for dinner in May and said congressional Republicans have pushed for more than $250 million for repairs and maintenance at the Kennedy Center. He claimed that 'tremendous amounts of money' had been spent at the center but 'they certainly didn't spend it on wallpaper, carpet or painting.' He characterized previous programming as 'out of control with rampant political propaganda' and said it featured 'some very inappropriate shows,' including a 'Marxist anti-police performance' and 'Lesbian-only Shakespeare.' Trump cited some drag show performances as a reason to take control of the center, though next season's theater lineup includes 'Mrs. Doubtfire," which tells the story of a divorced man who disguises himself as a female nanny so he can spend time with his children. Trump also visited the Kennedy Center in March to preside over a board meeting and take a tour. The Kennedy Center, which is supported by government money and private donations, opened in 1971 and for decades has been seen as an apolitical celebration of the arts. It was first conceived in the late 1950s, during the administration of Republican President Dwight Eisenhower, who backed a bill from the Democratic-led Congress calling for a National Culture Center. In the early 1960s, Democratic President John F. Kennedy launched a fundraising initiative, and his successor, President Lyndon B. Johnson, signed into law a 1964 bill renaming the project the John F. Kennedy Memorial Center for the Performing Arts. Kennedy had been assassinated the year before.

World's most popular TikTok star Khaby Lame leaves the US after being detained by ICE
World's most popular TikTok star Khaby Lame leaves the US after being detained by ICE

Boston Globe

timean hour ago

  • Boston Globe

World's most popular TikTok star Khaby Lame leaves the US after being detained by ICE

His detainment and voluntary departure from the US comes amid President Trump's escalating crackdown on immigration, including raids in Los Angeles that sparked days of protests against ICE, as the president tests the bounds of his executive authority. Get Starting Point A guide through the most important stories of the morning, delivered Monday through Friday. Enter Email Sign Up A voluntary departure — which was granted to Lame — allows those facing removal from the US to avoid a deportation order on their immigration record, which could prevent them from being allowed back into the US for up to a decade. Advertisement The 25-year-old rose to international fame during the pandemic without ever saying a word in his videos, which would show him reacting to absurdly complicated 'life hacks.' He has over 162 million followers on TikTok alone. The Senegal-born influencer moved to Italy when he was an infant with his working class parents and has Italian citizenship. His internet fame quickly evolved. He signed a multi-year partnership with designer brand Hugo Boss in 2022. In January, he was appointed as a UNICEF goodwill ambassador. Advertisement Last month, he attended the Met Gala in New York City, days after arriving in the US.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into the world of global news and events? Download our app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store