(Washington) George Clooney and the Irish rock group U2 are among the personalities who receive the honors of the Kennedy Center, the most prestigious cultural award in Washington, on Sunday, in the presence of Joe Biden.
A host of Hollywood stars and all of Washington will also celebrate the careers of soul great Gladys Knight, Cuban-born bandleader and songwriter Tania Leon, and evangelical gospel singer Amy Grant. during this gala evening of which it is the 45e editing.
Joe Biden and his wife Jill, as well as Vice President Kamala Harris and her husband Douglas Emhoff, must attend this prestigious evening in the great cultural center of the American capital, which ex-President Donald Trump, very unpopular in the world of American culture, had shunned throughout his tenure.
A series of celebrities will follow one another on the stage of the Kennedy Center to pay tribute to those honored on Sunday, who will have previously participated in a private reception at the White House with the Bidens and a few handpicked guests, the day after a dinner of honor on Saturday evening at the State Department, in the presence of the head of American diplomacy Antony Blinken.
The show will air on all major US channels on December 28.
Oscar-winning actor George Clooney, 61, and his wife Amal, a human rights lawyer, are particularly eagerly awaited on the red carpet this year. star of the film Ocean’s Eleven and of batman and robinwho has also directed and produced several films, he said he was honored to receive this tribute.
“I, who grew up in a small town in Kentucky, never imagined that I would one day be seated on the Honors balcony of the Kennedy Center,” he said in a press release. “To be mentioned alongside the rest of these incredible artists is an honor. »
“Widening the Circle”
Nicknamed “the Empress of soul”, Gladys Knight, 78, said she was “infinitely touched”.
“The Kennedy Center’s dedication to art is unparalleled and I am so grateful,” she added.
Singer and philanthropist Bono and his group U2, who have sold 170 million albums worldwide, are honored for legendary titles like Sunday Bloody Sunday, Longed for and With or without you.
Winner of the Pulitzer Prize for Music for her opera StrideTania Leon, 79, is known for her innovative and powerful compositions, mixing classical music and Cuban rhythms, as well as for her chamber music.
Amy Grant, 62, was the first Christian music singer to go platinum, and she won six Grammy Awards.
The first Christian music star to be recognized by the Kennedy Center, she said that “never in [ses] wildest dreams” she had thought she would receive this award.
“Over the years I’ve seen many of my heroes celebrated by their fellow artists, always moved by the ability of movies and music to bring us together and find the best in us,” he said. – she added in a press release. “Thank you for widening the circle for all of us. »