"According to the New York Times, opera leadership said the decision stemmed from a drop in attendance and a decline in donor contributions in the wake of Donald Trump's takeover of the venue, as well as the ensuing wave of artists who have canceled their own performances at the Kennedy Center in protest. In recent weeks, Wicked composer Stephen Schwartz and Grammy-winning banjoist Béla Fleck have pulled out of scheduled appearances with the opera."
"In addition to the aforementioned financial and attendance woes, opera officials told the New York Times that programming disagreements with Kennedy Center leadership also factored into their decision to leave the venue. WNO officials cited directives like ordering the opera to open every concert with a performance of national anthem, the hiring of a dance director who complained about "radical leftist ideologies in ballet," and Kennedy Center president Ric Grenell's push for all productions to be revenue neutral."
The Washington National Opera announced a move to seek amicable early termination of its affiliation with the Kennedy Center and resume operations as a fully independent nonprofit. The WNO will vacate the Kennedy Center's Opera House, its home since 1971, and search for a new performance space in Washington, DC. Opera leadership attributed the decision to drops in attendance and donor contributions following Donald Trump's takeover and resulting artist cancellations, citing recent withdrawals by Stephen Schwartz and Béla Fleck. Officials also cited programming disagreements, including directives to open concerts with the national anthem, complaints about "radical leftist ideologies in ballet," and Ric Grenell's emphasis on revenue-neutral productions. The board approved the resolution on Friday.
Read at Consequence
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