Washington National Opera Thrives After Leaving Trump-Controlled Kennedy Center

Washington National Opera Finds Success After Departing Trump-Controlled Kennedy Center

The Washington National Opera, a 70-year-old institution, has thrived since it steered away from Donald Trump’s control and left its longtime home at the John F. Kennedy Center last year. The opera company’s reinvention has raised questions about its dependence on federal subsidies and the Kennedy Center’s support.

Rebirth Without Losses

Francesca Zambello, the artistic director of the Washington National Opera, told The New York Times that the company did not lose artists, staff, paychecks, or benefits during its transition. “We didn’t lose any artists. We didn’t lose any staff when we rebooted as a new company. Nobody lost a paycheck. Nobody lost their benefits. Everyone has been very united,” she said.

Zambello acknowledged the challenges of fundraising and building an opera company from scratch but noted the process also brought “incredible freedom.”

Program and Budget Shifts

The opera company has scheduled more operas this year than in the 2024-25 season but will present fewer performances per production. The Times attributed this to increased competition for venues, which are often booked well in advance.

The company’s budget has grown from $25 million last year to approximately $30 million next year. This increase reflects higher costs for renting venues and the loss of in-house staff and government subsidies. Additionally, a $17 million endowment remains uncertain.

Timothy O’Leary, the general director, explained the financial adjustments: “We had to increase our fund-raising budget significantly to cover new costs and to account for limited weeks available in new venues, which means fewer revenue-earning performances per production.” He credited strong leadership support from the board, existing donors, and a surge of new contributors nationwide.

Kennedy Center’s Decline Under Trump

The Kennedy Center, long regarded as a premier global arts institution, has suffered since the White House became directly involved in its operations and programming. In December, Donald Trump unilaterally renamed the center “The Donald J. Trump and the John F. Kennedy Memorial Center for the Performing Arts,” defying the laws that established it.

This move, along with other interventions, has contributed to the deterioration of the Kennedy Center’s once-star-studded lineup.