Monday, August 5, 2002

A Beatle and a Dame, plus Darth - THE COMMENTARY

By Joseph Planta

VANCOUVER -- This past week the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, announced that five artists would receive the prestigious Kennedy Center Honors this year. Each year at least five individuals in the performing arts -- singers, actors, dancers, composers and authors -- are honoured with what is probably the highest honour the United States can bestow on its artists, and those that have added to the American culture. It’s often equated to a knighthood in Britain or the Legion of Honour in France.

This year’s list of honourees are: actor James Earl Jones, conductor James Levine, singer-songwriter Paul McCartney, stage performer Chita Rivera, and actress Dame Elizabeth Taylor. They join the over 100 previous honourees who’ve been honoured over the last 25 years, who include: Richard Rodgers, Fred Astaire, Ella Fitzgerald, Leonard Bernstein, Bette Davis, Beverly Sills, Leontyne Price, Stephen Sondheim, Mikhail Baryshnikov and Bob Dylan among others.

All five of this year’s honourees are most deserving. James Earl Jones is hailed for his performances on the screen and stage, such as his Tony winning turns in The Great White Hope and Fences. Jones, of course remembered for his remarkable voice in commercials and in Star Wars, is a veteran of the stage and screen, and is lauded as a pioneer for African-American performers. The last time he appeared on the Kennedy Center Honors broadcast was when he helped pay tribute to Sidney Poitier in 1995. James Levine is a conductor and for the last quarter century or so has been the head of the Metropolitan Opera in New York. Some may remember him for conducting the orchestra that travels with Lucianno Pavarotti when he’s on tour. Paul McCartney, of The Beatles and Wings, is honoured for his contribution to American music. Certainly, The Beatles have been integral to the sound of American music in the 20th century. Though not American, McCarney is rightfully honoured, and is certainly not the first non-American to be honoured. As of late many non-Americans have taken honours. Lucianno Pavarotti was honoured last year, as was Brit Julie Andrews. Baryshnikov took it in 2000, and Sean Connery in 1999. Chita Rivera is a legend in theatre circles. She starred in such landmark musicals like West Side Story, and other shows like The Rink, Kiss of The Spider Woman, and Chicago. Rivera has been nominated for six Tony’s, winning two. And Elizabeth Taylor rounds out the honourees joining other film legends like Katherine Hepburn (honoured in 1990), Bette Davis (1987), Lauren Bacall (1997) and Claudette Colbert (1989). Taylor, a megastar without having made a major movie in 20 years, is celebrated for her film career which spans 60 years, and her admirable charity work.

What this year’s list of honourees does for me is head back and look at those who’ve been passed over because of one reason or another. First, when these honours were created in 1978, there was a great deal of inspiration to tribute artists who were in the autumn of their careers. The first batch honoured were Marian Anderson, Fred Astaire, George Balanchine, Richard Rodgers and Arthur Rubinstein. Looking at this year’s batch, it’s clear that the honourees are younger and still capable of adding to their already distinguished bodies of work. The only caveat I can surmise from the honourees previous are that they are honoured only while living, as I’ve seen no posthumous honourees. For example Oscar Hammerstein wasn’t honoured with Richard Rodgers, or Rodgers with Lorenz Hart because both had died before the awards were created back in 1978. Some passed over while they were living, and never honoured after a short survey by me, show some interesting names. For example Audrey Hepburn was never honoured, nor was John Wayne. I won’t dare try and compare non-honourees with those so honoured, because in actuality, the Kennedy Center is pretty good at “getting” people to honour. Though it would have been nice to see Steve Allen or Milton Berle alongside previous winners Lucille Ball (1986) or George Burns (1988). Or how about Ethel Merman or Mary Martin with this year’s theatre honouree Chita Rivera. Or how about some giant in theatre like Bob Fosse alongside Hal Prince (who was honoured in 1994) or Elia Kazan (1983).

I guess as 1988 honouree George Burns said, it’s all in the timing. Too bad for George C. Scott or Jackie Gleason their time never came soon enough. I guess it’s for history to decide, as awards in general are meaningless. In my book though, the Kennedy Center Honors are miles ahead of the Oscars and the Emmy’s. The Kennedy Center Honors are the highest award any artist in the United States can get, and once again I can’t wait until the December ceremony in the Opera House at the Kennedy Center when President and Mrs. Bush will represent Americans in tribute to these five artist who are lauded with a nation’s gratitude. The arts are important and each year -- this year no exception -- these five represent the many facets and fibres that make American artistic culture so rich and remarkable.

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