The storied halls of the Kennedy Center, long considered the heart of Washington, D.C.’s performing arts scene, are now echoing with uncertainty, discord, and the threat of an exodus. The Washington National Opera (WNO), one of the city’s flagship cultural institutions, is openly contemplating a move away from its historic home, a possibility that would have once seemed unthinkable. The reason? A perfect storm of plummeting ticket sales, donor outrage, and dramatic changes in leadership and programming—all set in motion by the Trump administration’s takeover of the center.
Francesca Zambello, the WNO’s Artistic Director, did not mince words about the company’s predicament. Speaking to The Guardian, she explained, “It is our desire to perform in our home at the Kennedy Center…But if we cannot raise enough money, or sell enough tickets in there, we have to consider other options…The two things that support a company financially, because of the takeover, have been severely compromised.” Her candor reflects the anxiety now gripping the organization, which has seen about 43 percent of tickets for typical productions remain unsold since the Trump-appointed leadership took charge.
This is not just a matter of empty seats. According to The Washington Post, the first two months of the current season have been marked by boycotts, with loyal members and donors vowing not to return to the theater until what some have called the “orange menace” is gone. Zambello recounted receiving shredded brochures from former supporters and messages comparing the rise of Trumpism to the dark days of the 1930s. “If I give to the Kennedy Center, I’m supporting Donald Trump,” one donor declared, capturing the sentiment that now pervades the arts community in the capital.
Financially, the stakes could not be higher. The WNO, while technically an independent company, maintains an affiliation agreement with the Kennedy Center. This arrangement means the opera must produce a certain number of shows in the building, shares back office functions like marketing and development, and receives a crucial annual subsidy of about $2 million to $3 million from the center. With ticket sales and donor support drying up, Zambello and her team are actively scouting alternative venues in D.C. for the next season—a move that would reshape the city’s cultural landscape.
The turmoil goes well beyond the opera. The Kennedy Center itself is in the midst of a profound identity crisis. Richard Grenell, a former U.S. ambassador to Germany with no background in the arts, was appointed interim president by President Trump in February 2025. On social media, Trump promised that Grenell would ensure “NO MORE DRAG SHOWS, OR OTHER ANTI-AMERICAN PROPAGANDA—ONLY THE BEST.” But what “the best” means under the new regime has left many in the arts community scratching their heads.
Jane Raleigh, who served as the center’s dance director until she was fired by Grenell in August, told The New York Times that Grenell’s vision for the Kennedy Center’s programming was heavily inspired by ’80s pop star Paula Abdul. “He said that he wanted programming that could ‘be like Paula Abdul,’” Raleigh recalled. The Daily Beast also reported Grenell’s persistent references to Abdul, who is known for her upbeat pop songs and energetic choreography. While Abdul’s career has certainly left a mark on American pop culture, her style is a far cry from the classical fare that has long defined the Kennedy Center’s reputation.
Grenell’s own credentials for the job have been called into question. He often cited his husband’s past work as a Broadway dancer as evidence of his arts expertise. “He would bring up his husband as a way to be like, ‘Well, I know a lot about entertaining dance because I fell in love with a dancer,’” Raleigh noted. Grenell’s partner, Matt Lashey, indeed danced in the ensembles of the 2001 musical 42nd Street and the 2002 revival of Thoroughly Modern Millie, but he is now CEO of a chemotherapy patient app—hardly a traditional arts administrator.
After firing Raleigh, Grenell replaced her with Stephen Nakagawa, a former Washington Ballet dancer who, in his cover letter, vowed to “end the dominance of leftist ideologies in the arts and return to classical ballet’s purity.” Under the new leadership of Grenell and Nakagawa, the center’s upcoming dance performances are projected to fill as few as 4 percent of available seats—a figure that has sent shockwaves through the D.C. arts community.
Staff inside the Kennedy Center describe a leadership vacuum. According to The New York Times, Grenell has largely delegated daily operations to two aides—Rick Loughery, a former Young Republicans chairman, and Nick Meade, his longtime adviser. The trio, dubbed “Ric and the Icks” by insiders, have no background in the arts. This lack of expertise has only fueled further concern about the center’s direction.
For the WNO and other resident companies, the consequences of these changes are immediate and severe. The pressure from the center’s new administration has been palpable. Zambello told The Guardian that while the Kennedy Center’s management did not veto her artistic choices, they did question her casting, pushed for more popular works, and requested she lower the rates paid to singers. “The new Kennedy Center administration does not have experience with the arts,” she said, underscoring the disconnect between artistic vision and administrative priorities.
The turmoil has already led to high-profile cancellations. Lin-Manuel Miranda withdrew his blockbuster musical Hamilton from the center, and the creators of Fellow Travelers similarly pulled their opera. Meanwhile, the center has been in the headlines for audience members booing both President Trump and J.D. Vance, and for the firing of Vice President Floyd Brown over past anti-gay comments by Trump and Grenell.
Despite the unrest, Trump has continued to make the Kennedy Center a political symbol. He proposed $257 million for the center’s renovation and announced that the building would be permanently lit with U.S. flag colors—a move seen by some as an attempt to stake a patriotic claim to the institution. At the same time, the national debt under Trump’s presidency has surpassed $38 trillion, adding another layer of controversy to the center’s funding and future.
As of early November 2025, the Kennedy Center’s future—and that of the Washington National Opera—hangs in the balance. With nearly half of all tickets going unsold and key artists and donors fleeing, the cultural heart of the nation’s capital finds itself at a crossroads. Whether the WNO will remain at the Kennedy Center or seek a new stage elsewhere may soon become a defining moment for the arts in Washington, D.C.
