Robert De Niro to Recite Lincoln Speech at Carnegie Hall Benefit

The event is a protest against Trump's ouster of Kennedy Center leadership.

Published on Mar. 2, 2026

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Actor Robert De Niro will appear at a Carnegie Hall benefit this week to recite excerpts from a Philip Glass opera about Abraham Lincoln. The opera, titled 'Lincoln,' was originally intended to premiere at the Kennedy Center, but Glass canceled those plans in protest of President Donald Trump's removal of the center's leadership. The benefit is being organized by Tibet House US, a nonprofit educational institution, with Glass and Laurie Anderson serving as artistic directors.

Why it matters

This event highlights the growing tensions between the arts community and the Trump administration over issues of artistic freedom and political interference in cultural institutions. The Kennedy Center has become a flashpoint, with many prominent artists canceling events there in protest of Trump's actions.

The details

Glass' symphony 'Lincoln' is based in part on one of Lincoln's earliest major speeches, the 1838 'Lyceum Address,' in which the future president warned of the dangers of mob violence to democracy. De Niro, a prominent critic of Trump, was chosen by Glass to recite the excerpts from the opera at the Carnegie Hall benefit.

  • The Carnegie Hall benefit is scheduled for Tuesday night, March 4, 2026.
  • In January 2026, Glass announced he was canceling the scheduled premiere of 'Symphony No. 25, 'Lincoln'' at the Kennedy Center in protest of Trump's ouster of the center's leadership.

The players

Robert De Niro

An acclaimed American actor who is known for his outspoken criticism of President Trump.

Philip Glass

A renowned American composer who wrote the opera 'Lincoln,' which was originally intended to premiere at the Kennedy Center.

Tibet House US

A nonprofit educational institution that is organizing the Carnegie Hall benefit where De Niro will recite excerpts from Glass' 'Lincoln' opera.

Donald Trump

The former President of the United States who renamed the Kennedy Center and announced plans to shut it down for construction, prompting protests from the arts community.

Abraham Lincoln

The 16th President of the United States, whose 1838 'Lyceum Address' is the basis for parts of Glass' 'Lincoln' opera.

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What’s next

The Carnegie Hall benefit featuring De Niro's recitation of the Lincoln speech is scheduled for Tuesday, March 4, 2026.

The takeaway

This event underscores the growing divide between the arts community and the Trump administration, with many prominent artists protesting the president's actions towards cultural institutions like the Kennedy Center. It highlights the power of the arts to serve as a platform for political expression and resistance.