Washington National Opera Will Depart the Kennedy Center

The Washington National Opera will leave its longtime Kennedy Center home, marking the latest departure since the venue’s board of trustees voted to rename the federally funded arts center to include Donald Trump’s name.

This company has performed at the Center since it first opened in 1971. In a statement to the New York Times, the organization said, “Today, the Washington National Opera announced its decision to seek an amicable early termination of its affiliation agreement with the Kennedy Center and resume operations as a fully independent nonprofit entity.” It has since set up its own website.

According to the Times, the opera cited declining attendance, artist cancellations, and reduced donations as reasoning for its leave-taking. The company has identified alternative venue in the DC area, and it will scale back the number of productions next season as a cost-saving measure.

This is the latest in a string of high-profile cancellations and departures the newly renamed “Trump Kennedy Center” has faced. In addition, the televised Kennedy Center Honors had a record-low number of viewers, and the American College Theatre Festival suspended its affiliation with the Kennedy Center after 58 years.

The jazz ensemble the Cookers canceled two concerts on New Year’s Eve. The New York dance company Doug Varone and Dancers canceled two scheduled performances in April, which were supposed to be part of the company’s 40th anniversary.

Even before the venue name change, artists were canceling performances at the Kennedy Center. In February, President Trump became Kennedy Center Board Chair, prompting producer Jeffrey Seller to cancel a Hamilton tour stop at the Kennedy Center (it was scheduled to run March 3, 2026-April 26, 2026) and to Issa Rae canceling a sold-out performance. A planned run of Eureka Day (winner of the 2025 Tony Award for Best Revival of a Play) was also canceled.