Jan 28, 2026
3 min read
NEW YORK — Renee Fleming has pulled out of two scheduled May appearances at the Kennedy Center, the latest in a wave of cancellations since President Donald Trump ousted the previous administration and the new administration announced the venue would be renamed the Trump Kennedy Center.
NEW YORK — Renee Fleming has canceled two May shows at the Kennedy Center, the latest wave of cancellations since the ouster of President Donald Trump and the new administration's announcement that the venue will be the Trump Kennedy Center.
The Grammy Award-winning soprano will perform with conductor James Gaffigan and the National Symphony Orchestra.Her decision was no surprise;a year ago she resigned as "Senior Artistic Advisor", due to the forced departure of Kennedy Center President David Rubenstein and its president, Deborah Rutter.The center cited "scheduling conflicts" as the reason she pulled out of the May concert.
"The new soloist and repertoire will be announced at a later date, but the rest of the program will remain unchanged," according to a statement on the Kennedy Center's website this week.Fleming did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Many artists, including Lin-Manuel Miranda, Bela Fleck and Issa Rae, have canceled events at the Kennedy Center as part of Trump's broader cultural assault.Earlier this month, the Washington National Opera, where it has performed since 1971, announced it was severing ties with the Kennedy Center.
Music hosts Vocal Arts DC, which canceled the Kni-Kennis concerts earlier this week due to "financial circumstances," announced the cards to Bernheim and Mordamino Berdim and Pianimo and Mordamino Bernaim and pianist Kariresius, Bernheim and George Washington University, where the Washington National Opera will stage two operas this spring.
