The Washington National Opera announced it is ending its 55-year affiliation with the Kennedy Center, citing a new business model incompatible with opera operations. This departure follows the venue's rebranding as the Trump Kennedy Center amid President Donald Trump's takeover. The move allows the opera to operate independently during its 70th anniversary year.
The Washington National Opera (WNO) revealed on Friday, January 10, 2026, that it will seek to end its 15-year Affiliation Agreement with the Kennedy Center, where it has performed since the venue opened in 1971. In a statement to supporters, the opera noted the difficult decision after much deliberation, highlighting 'robust change' at the center and a new business model at odds with not-for-profit opera companies. 'As Washington National Opera (WNO) begins its 70th anniversary year, the Board and staff have made the difficult decision to seek an end to our 15-year Affiliation Agreement with the Kennedy Center,' the statement read. WNO plans to move performances to new venues and return to full independence, reducing its spring season for fiscal prudence.
The Kennedy Center, now rebranded as the Trump Kennedy Center following Trump's appointment as chairman and the firing of its previous board, responded that the parting is due to a 'financially challenging relationship.' Interim executive director Ric Grenell stated on X that the center has spent millions supporting WNO, which operated at a deficit, and that ending the exclusivity allows flexibility to bring in international productions. Emails reported by Variety indicate Grenell initiated talks to end the agreement late last year, though WNO framed the split as mutual and amicable, avoiding partisan language.
This exit is part of a broader wave of defections since the December 2025 rebranding and Trump's leadership changes. Earlier in the year, at least 26 performances were canceled, including 15 by artists protesting the self-appointment. Recent pullouts include banjoist Béla Fleck, Wicked composer Stephen Schwartz, jazz leader Chuck Redd's Christmas Eve Jazz Jam—canceled after seeing the name change—and rock star Peter Wolf. Lin-Manuel Miranda called off a spring 2026 Hamilton revival, saying, 'This latest action by Trump means it’s not the Kennedy Center as we knew it... We’re just not going to be part of it.' Actress Issa Rae also canceled a February show, citing infringement on the institution's values.
Artistic director Francesca Zambello, who has led WNO for 14 years, expressed pride in the past affiliation: 'I have been proud to be affiliated with a national monument to the human spirit.' She committed to continuing a mix of classics and contemporary works. As of late Friday, some WNO productions like Treemonisha, The Crucible, and West Side Story remained listed on the Kennedy Center website.
