Stars shine at Kennedy Center Honors

WASHINGTON, Dec. 5 (UPI) -- The 28th Annual Kennedy Center Honors celebrated Hollywood's Robert Redford and Julie Harris, singers Tony Bennett and Tina Turner and dancer Suzanne Farrell.

Caroline Kennedy presided over the Sunday night festivities as top U.S. performers paid tribute to the honorees under the watchful eye of the commander-in-chief and first lady in the presidential box of the Washington theater, The Washington Post reported Monday.

Kennedy channeled George Bernard Shaw saying: "You use a glass mirror to see your face; you use works of art to see your soul.

"The artists we honor this evening," she said, "have indeed touched our souls."

Paul Newman, Glenn Close and Tom Brokaw saluted Redford while Queen Latifah, Oprah Winfrey, Melissa Etheridge, the Rev. Al Green and Beyonce paid tribute to Turner.

Dancers Jacques d'Amboise, Maria Tallchief and Arthur Mitchell waxed nostalgic about Farrell, a former prima ballerina of the New York City Ballet; and Harris was praised by Kevin Spacey, Alec Baldwin, Helen Mirren and Mary-Louise Parker.

Bennett was honored by Quincy Jones, Wynton Marsalis, Vanessa Williams Diana Krall and John Legend.

The gala was taped for broadcast Dec. 27 on CBS.