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According to reporting by The New York Times, the Washington National Opera has approved a resolution to move its performances out of The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, ending a relationship that has spanned more than five decades.
The Opera’s board of trustees voted on January 9 to pursue the early termination of its affiliation agreement with the Kennedy Center, with the goal of resuming operations as an independent nonprofit. The decision follows a year marked by declining ticket sales, reduced donor support, and artist withdrawals.
In a statement provided to The New York Times, the company said it intends to relocate performances from the Kennedy Center’s Opera House as soon as feasible and will scale back the number of productions next season as a cost-control measure. Opera leadership indicated that alternative venues within Washington, D.C. have been identified, though no leases have yet been finalized.
Among the unresolved issues is the future of the opera’s approximately $30 million endowment, which both the opera and the Kennedy Center assert partial control over under the existing agreement. Opera representatives said they plan to move performances regardless of whether negotiations over the affiliation and endowment are concluded.
Yesterday, BroadwayWorld reported Sonia De Los Santos would no longer perform at the Kennedy Center. In December, the board announced plans to rebrand the venue as the Trump-Kennedy Center, a move that scholars have said would require congressional approval. The announcement prompted additional cancellations, including jazz musician Chuck Redd and jazz ensemble The Cookers, who withdrew from scheduled holiday performances.
Last week, Grammy-winning banjo player Béla Fleck announced that he had canceled three upcoming appearances with the National Symphony Orchestra, writing on social media that performing at the center had become “charged and political.” Additional recent withdrawals include Stephen Schwartz, who was expected to host an opera gala.
De Los Santos’ 2018 album ¡Alegría! received a Latin Grammy nomination for Best Children’s Album, and she has been widely recognized for her work celebrating immigrant experiences through music for young audiences.
