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WASHINGTON (AP) 鈥� The Kennedy Center Honors returned to tradition this year with a real-life gala Sunday night and the presence of the president for the first time since 2016.

The lifetime achievement awards for artistic excellence were presented to Motown Records creator Berry Gordy, 鈥淪aturday Night Live鈥� mastermind Lorne Michaels, actress-singer Bette Midler, opera singer Justino Diaz and folk music legend Joni Mitchell.

This year’s event at the Kennedy Center鈥檚 main opera house represented a return to political normalcy, with President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden attending.

President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump skipped the show the first three years he was in office after several of the artists honored in 2017, his first year in office, threatened to boycott a White House reception if he participated. Last year, the pandemic forced a delay and major changes to the program.

The Bidens drew a sustained standing ovation when they entered the presidential box at the opera house. Cellist Yo-Yo Ma performed the national anthem and encouraged the audience to sing the final lines together.

The theater was packed to capacity and there were no social distancing restrictions, but vaccinations and recent negative COVID tests were required for all who attended.

The tributes featured testimonials and performances that were kept secret from the honorees. Mitchell’s tribute featured performances of her songs by Nora Jones, Brandi Carlile, Ellie Goulding and Brittany Howard. Diaz was honored with a performance from the opera 鈥淐armen鈥� and a song from his two daughters, Katya and Natascia.

For Michaels, organizers put together three 鈥淲eekend Update鈥� segments onstage with multiple generations of mock news anchors 鈥� Kevin Nealon, Seth Myers and Amy Poehler, and the current duo of Michel Che and Colin Jost. Che joked that Biden would be asleep before the end of the show and Poehler poked at the Toronto-born Michaels by proclaiming that Joni Mitchell had been declared 鈥渢he best Canadian of all time.鈥�

Midler received testimonials from close friends Goldie Hawn and Barbara Hershey, and a performance by Tony Award winner Billy Porter of her iconic song, 鈥淭he Wind Beneath My Wings.鈥� Gordy’s career was celebrated with performances of multiple Motown hits by Andra Day and Stevie Wonder and an extended tribute from close friend Smokey Robinson. The event ended with several of the night’s performers joining for a performance of Wonder’s hit 鈥淗igher Ground.鈥�

Prior to the Kennedy Center event, Biden revived another tradition that had gone dormant under Trump and held a White House reception for the honorees.

鈥淲e welcome everyone back,” he told a crowd of about 150 seated in the East Room, decked out with Christmas trees and wreaths. Guests included Vice President Kamala Harris, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Caroline Kennedy, Mikhail Baryshnikov, Chita Rivera, Steve Martin and Herbie Hancock.

鈥淥ur nation is stronger, more dynamic and more vibrant because of you,” Biden told the honorees.

Biden praised the work of the artists, their 鈥渟ixth sense鈥� that helps them create and move so many people, saying: 鈥淚 don鈥檛 think you fully appreciate what you do for so many people.鈥�

He spoke of Diaz’s 鈥渟ound of soul,鈥� Gordy’s creation of 鈥渙ne of the most iconic businesses鈥� in American history with Motown Records. With Michaels, he joked: 鈥淔inally, it’s my turn to say something about him,” poking fun at Michaels’ SNL show, which routinely mocks presidents, including the current commander in chief.

鈥淵ou make me laugh at myself a lot,鈥� Biden said, then went on to say Michaels was auditioning actors right now to play him next on SNL. Biden asked Steve Martin to stand as an example of the type of talent Michaels has cultivated over the past decades.

Martin paused and asked the president, 鈥淒o you want me to play you?鈥� The crowd erupted in laughter.

Biden then professed his admiration for both Mitchell and Midler, telling Midler that 鈥減eople will never forget how you make them feel. That鈥檚 your gift, it鈥檚 incredible.鈥�

And lastly: 鈥淛oni. Your words and melodies touch the deepest parts of our soul,” Biden said.

Last year, the pandemic forced organizers to bump the annual December ceremony back to May 2021. Performance tributes to the artists were filmed over several nights and at multiple locations on campus.

This year鈥檚 main COVID-related modification was shifting the annual Saturday ceremony, where honorees receive their medallions on rainbow-colored ribbons, to the Library of Congress instead of the State Department.

Sunday鈥檚 ceremony, which will be broadcast Dec. 22 by CBS, is the centerpiece of the Kennedy Center鈥檚 50th anniversary of cultural programming. The center opened in 1971.

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