Renée Fleming has pulled out of two scheduled May appearances at the Kennedy Center, marking the latest in a series of high-profile withdrawals since Donald Trump's administration ousted the previous leadership and the new management announced the venue would be renamed the Trump Kennedy Center.
The acclaimed Grammy-winning soprano was set to perform with conductor James Gaffigan and the National Symphony Orchestra. Her decision follows her resignation a year ago as "Artistic Advisor at Large," when she cited the forced departures of Kennedy Center Chair David Rubenstein and its president, Deborah Rutter. The center itself attributed her cancellation from the May concerts to "a scheduling conflict."
"A new soloist and repertoire will be announced at a later date, and the remainder of the program remains unchanged," a statement on the Kennedy Center website, posted this week, confirmed. Fleming did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Lin-Manuel Miranda, Bela Fleck, and Issa Rae are among numerous other artists who have cancelled engagements at the Kennedy Center, a situation unfolding amid Trump's broader critique of what he terms "woke" culture. Earlier this month, the Washington National Opera announced it was severing ties with the Kennedy Center, where it had performed since 1971.
