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The annual honors, announced on Wednesday, celebrate lifetime
contributions to U.S. culture through the performing arts.
Other honorees include Broadway actress Cicely Tyson, known for
portraying strong female characters; classical music director
Seiji Ozawa, who led the Boston Symphony Orchestra for 29 years;
and veteran Puerto Rican actress Rita Moreno of "West Side
Story" movie fame.
The awards will be presented at a gala at Washington D.C.'s John
F. Kennedy Center on Dec. 6, attended by President Barack Obama
and first lady Michelle Obama.
Kennedy Center president Deborah Rutter said this year's
honorees were all "artists as history-makers, artists who defy
both convention and category."
"Their individual paths to excellence are inspirational and
their contributions to the fabric of American culture are
equally permanent and timeless," Rutter said in a statement.
Previous Kennedy Center honorees include Meryl Streep, Steven
Spielberg, Oprah Winfrey and Elton John.
(Reporting by Katie Reilly; Editing by Jill Serjeant and
Marguerita Choy)
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