Grammy Award winning opera star Renee Fleming has pulled out of her scheduled May performances at the Kennedy Center, adding to a growing list of cancellations at the Washington institution following its takeover by President Donald Trump.
A notice posted on the Kennedy Center’s website said Fleming, who was set to perform with the National Symphony Orchestra in May, withdrew “due to a scheduling conflict.”
Trump last year appointed himself chairman of the Kennedy Center and reshaped its board by installing close allies. The move marked a sharp shift in leadership at one of Washington’s most prominent cultural institutions.
In December, the board voted to rename the venue the Donald J. Trump and the John F. Kennedy Memorial Center for the Performing Arts, shortening it to the Trump Kennedy Center.
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Since Trump’s takeover, a number of performers and arts groups have pulled out of scheduled appearances at the center, pointing to the president’s control as their reason. Democrats have argued that the renaming carries no legal weight, since the center’s original name was established by Congress. Members of John F. Kennedy’s family have criticized the change, saying it diminishes the legacy of the late president.
“Renee Fleming regrets that, due to a scheduling conflict, she must withdraw from her May 2026 concerts with the NSO,” as per the message on the institution’s website. “A new soloist and repertoire will be announced at a later date, and the remainder of the program remains unchanged.”
Last year, Fleming stepped down from her position as artistic adviser-at-large at the Kennedy Center, pointing to the exit of the institution’s former leadership as her reason for leaving.
“I’ve treasured the bipartisan support for this institution as a beacon of America at our best. I hope the Kennedy Center continues to flourish and serve the passionate and diverse audience in our nation’s capital and across the country,” after stepping down from the role, Fleming shared.