A vast lineup of performers from across the arts took to the stage on Saturday for the opening of the Smith Center for the Performing Arts, the buzzy new Las Vegas culture venue more than two decades in the making. Led by host Neil Patrick Harris, the show included surprising pairings, like country star Martina McBride and Train lead singer Pat Monahan teaming up for a medley including “Marry Me” and “A Song for You." Carole King and Mavis Staples performed “You’ve Got a Friend," and Willie Nelson and Merle Haggard performed “Pancho and Lefty." American Ballet Theater’s Marcello Gomes and Luciana Paris performed a tribute to Frank Sinatra. And Jennifer Hudson, accompanied by a 70-member choir, closed the evening with a rendition of “Take Care of This House.” All artists were backed by an orchestra and musical director Rob Mathes. George Stevens Jr. and Michael Stevens, who handle the annual Kennedy Center Honors, produced and directed the show, which will be broadcast on national television at a later date.
