Senator Lott: (Gavel the hearing to order)

We are honored to have before us today Michael Kaiser, the President of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. Mr. Kaiser will give us an overview and current status of the Kennedy center operations. We are also pleased to hear testimony from Lawrence Small, the Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution.

As President of the Kennedy Center, Mr. Kaiser is responsible for the artistic programming and the financial health of the entire organization. During Mr. Kaiser=s tenure, the Kennedy Center is increasing it already broad educational programs and is establishing cross-disciplinary programming for opera, symphony and dance. Mr. Kaiser has established the Vilar Institute for Arts management and has arranged for 10 annual visits from dance and opera companies from St. Petersburg, Russian.

This year has been an exceptional performance year for the Center. Under Mr. Kaiser=s leadership, the Kennedy Center hosted the unprecedented Steven Sondheim Celebration with six productions of Sondheim=s work last summer. The Center also hosted the Bolshoi Ballet and Opera companies on a single stage together, and secured commitments from the London Royal Shakespeare Company for annual performances at the Kennedy Center for the next five years. In addition to these remarkable performances and planned events, Mr. Kaiser works very closely with the National Symphony=s Music Director, Leonard Slatkin and the Symphony Board of Directors of their exceptional programs.

Before coming to the Kennedy Center, Mr. Kaiser was the Executive Director of the Royal Opera House, the largest performing arts organization in the United Kingdom. Under his leadership there, the Royal Opera significantly reduced its operating dept while broadening its educational programs for the public. Mr. Kaiser has also served as the Executive Director of the American Ballet Theatre and the Alvin Ailey Dance Theatre Foundation, the world=s largest modern dance company.

It is an honor to heave you before us, Mr. Kaiser. We look forward to your testimony.

###