The Washington Nationwide Opera is leaving its longtime residence on the Kennedy Middle.
In keeping with the New York Times, opera management mentioned the choice stemmed from a drop in attendance and a decline in donor contributions within the wake of Donald Trump’s takeover of the venue, in addition to the ensuing wave of artists who have canceled their own performances on the Kennedy Middle in protest. In current weeks, Depraved composer Stephen Schwartz and Grammy-winning banjoist Béla Fleck have pulled out of scheduled appearances with the opera.
“At the moment, the Washington Nationwide Opera introduced its choice to hunt an amicable early termination of its affiliation settlement with the Kennedy Middle and resume operations as a completely unbiased nonprofit entity,” the opera mentioned in a press release to the New York Instances.
Because of the decision, authorised by its board of trustees on Friday, the WNO will transfer out of the Kennedy Middle’s Opera Home, the place it has known as residence since 1971, and search a brand new efficiency area in Washington, DC.
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Along with the aforementioned monetary and attendance woes, opera officers advised the New York Instances that programming disagreements with Kennedy Middle management additionally factored into their choice to depart the venue. WNO officers cited directives like ordering the opera to open each live performance with a efficiency of nationwide anthem, the hiring of a dance director who complained about “radical leftist ideologies in ballet,” and Kennedy Middle president Ric Grenell’s push for all productions to be income impartial.
In a press release to Consequence, a Kennedy Middle spokesperson claimed that its management, not the Washington Nationwide Opera, initiated the cut up. “After cautious consideration, we have now made the tough choice to half methods with the WNO as a result of a financially difficult relationship. We imagine this represents one of the best path ahead for each organizations and allows us to make accountable decisions that assist the monetary stability and long-term way forward for the Trump Kennedy Middle.”
Grenell expanded on the choice in his personal social media submit. “The Trump Kennedy Middle has made the choice to finish the unique partnership with the Washington Opera in order that we are able to have the pliability and funds to usher in operas from world wide and throughout the US,” Grenell wrote. “Having an unique Opera was simply not financially sensible. And our patrons clearly wished a refresh.”
The Trump Kennedy Middle has made the choice to finish the unique partnership with the Washington Opera in order that we are able to have the pliability and funds to usher in operas from world wide and throughout the U.S.
Having an unique relationship has been extraordinarily costly and… https://t.co/rN6kSVRp7z
— Richard Grenell (@RichardGrenell) January 10, 2026
