The New York Times reports Jean Davidson, executive director of the National Symphony Orchestra, has announced that she will step down from her position at The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts after less than three years in the role. Davidson will leave in May to become president and chief executive of the Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts in Beverly Hills.
Davidson told The New York Times that her decision reflects frustration with ongoing turmoil at the Kennedy Center, where leadership changes, declining attendance, and artist cancellations have affected the institution. “It’s no secret that this has been a really hard year,” Davidson said, noting that she began looking for another opportunity several months ago.
The orchestra is also preparing for a major disruption after the Kennedy Center announced plans to close for two years for renovations beginning this summer.
This comes just after an announcement that the Kennedy Center Honors will be renamed to the Trump Kennedy Center Honors, matching with the institution’s planned name change revealed in December. In late January, composer Philip Glass canceled the scheduled world premiere of his Symphony No. 15, Lincoln, at the Kennedy Center.
Additional artists and institutions canceling events include Stephen Schwartz, Chuck Redd, Renée Fleming, and Seattle Children’s Theatre. This past weekend the San Francisco Ballet also cancelled planned performances at the Kennedy Center.
