Philip Glass’s Symphony No. 15, Lincoln received its long-awaited world premiere at Tanglewood on 5 July, performed by the Boston Symphony Orchestra under the baton of Karen Kamensek, with baritone Zachary James as soloist.
The premiere took place four months after the work was withdrawn from its originally planned debut at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C.
Following the performance, Glass shared a photograph on Instagram from the occasion with the caption: “World Premiere Symphony No. 15 ‘Lincoln’ Tanglewood, Lenox, MA with the Boston Symphony Orchestra, Zachary James, and Karen Kamensek. July 5, 2026.” The image shows the 89-year-old composer alongside Kamensek and James after the performance.
The symphony had originally been commissioned for the Kennedy Center’s 50th anniversary and was scheduled to receive its first performance in June by the National Symphony Orchestra. In January, however, Glass asked that the work be withdrawn, saying the institution’s direction was “in direct conflict” with the message of the symphony following leadership changes at the venue.
Based on Abraham Lincoln’s 1838 Lyceum Address, Symphony No. 15, Lincoln ultimately reached the stage at Tanglewood as part of the Boston Symphony Orchestra’s four-day celebration marking the 250th anniversary of the United States.
The programme also included John Williams’ suite from the film Lincoln and Aaron Copland’s Lincoln Portrait, narrated by Alec Baldwin.
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