The Kennedy Center has lost another one of the few remaining stars on its 2026 schedule, as the legendary soprano Renée Fleming has dropped out of an appearance at the embattled venue previously scheduled for May.
Although many of the musicians who have bowed out of appearances there have made note of the political toxicity that has made it difficult for name artists to fulfill their engagements, a notice on the Kennedy Center’s website blames her exit on an issue with her schedule
“Renée Fleming regrets that, due to a scheduling conflict, she must withdraw from her May 2026 concerts with the NSO,” the notice reads. “A new soloist and repertoire will be announced at a later date, and the remainder of the program remains unchanged.”
Fleming was set to sing with the National Symphony Orchestra and conductor James Gaffigan.on May 29-30.
Fleming has a strong and recent connection to the center: She was celebrated with an award at the Kennedy Center Honors in 2023. That was prior to President Donald J. Trump taking it over as its chairman in a coup and replacing much of the board with his associates and friends at the beginning of 2025. She had previously served as “Artistic Advisor at Large,” but resigned from that role last year after the president and chair of the center were forced out.
A representative for Fleming did not immediately respond to Variety‘s request for comment.
On Jan. 16, the Martha Graham Dance Company said it was withdrawing from performing at the center in April. “The Martha Graham Dance Company regrets that, for a variety of reasons, we are unable to perform at the Kennedy Center in April,” the company said in a statement. “We hope to perform at the center in the future.”
Among others who have pulled out of shows since the politicized takeover are Stephen Schwartz, a production of “Hamilton,” Béla Fleck, Rhiannon Giddens, Issa Rae, Sonia De Los Santos, the Cookers, Magpie, Kristy Lee, the comedy troupe Asian AF, Balún and one of the Kennedy Center’s anchor attractions for many decades, the Washington National Opera.
Few big-name acts remain on the schedule for the rest of this year. The list of those still scheduled is led by right-leaning comic Adam Carolla, Jeff Foxworthy, Tony Hinchcliffe and R&B singer Tyrese.
The center’s president, Richard Grenell, who regularly tweets his conservative positions on Twitter, has gone after other performers who have pulled out, saying they are the ones politicizing the venue.
When the banjo player Fleck canceled his appearance this month, he wrote, “I have withdrawn from my upcoming performance with the NSO at The Kennedy Center. Performing there has become charged and political, at an institution where the focus should be on the music. I look forward to playing with the NSO another time in the future when we can together share and celebrate art.”
Grenell’s heated response: “You just made it political and caved to the woke mob who wants you to perform for only Lefties.”
In December, when jazz musician Chuck Redd canceled a New Year’s Eve appearance, Grenell sent him a letter saying he would be sued for $1 million in damages. There has been no subsequent indication that a lawsuit will be filed against any of the artists canceling shows.
The board recently voted to rename the facility the Trump-Kennedy Center, although many have argued that it would take an act of Congress to rename a national presidential memorial, so many continue to refer to it as simply the Kennedy Center, given questions over the legality of the name change.
Audiences have been down since the Trump takeover, according to data acquired by the New York Times that showed single-ticket sales down 50%, and subscription revenue for theater down 82% and dance 57% during April and May of 2024 from the previous year.
The center’s current president and representatives have in turn pointed to $130 million in fundraising since Trump took over, along with $257 million approved by Congress and directed by the president toward building renovations.
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