The Grammy-winning soprano singer has canceled two May sets, joining many musicians who have moved away from the performing arts institution
Renée Fleming has canceled her scheduled performances at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. The Grammy-winning soprano singer joins a long list of musicians who have called off events at the once-heralded institution, following President Donald Trump‘s apparently ego-driven takeover.
Fleming’s decision is an expected one. Last year, following all of the shake-ups at the Kennedy Center, including the forced departures of the center’s Chair David Rubenstein and President Deborah Rutter, Fleming resigned from her role as Artistic Advisor-at-Large. She held that title for nine years, starting in 2016. Fleming’s history with the Kennedy Center also includes 25 performances “in various capacities,” as is described on the center’s site.
As for her scrapped May shows, Fleming claimed “a scheduling conflict” made her drop out of them. Fleming was set to appear with conductor James Gaffigan and the National Symphony Orchestra. Gaffigan and the NSO will still put on a show on May 29 and May 30, but “a new soloist and repertoire will be announced at a later date,” per the Kennedy Center website.
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Other musicians who have canceled their Kennedy Center appearances include Issa Rae, Philadelphia rock band Low Cut Connie, singer-songwriter Rhiannon Giddens, Chuck Redd, jazz band the Cookers, and folk singer Kristy Lee — just to name a few. Lin-Manuel Miranda also called off a scheduled revival of Hamilton originally set for spring 2026.
The cancellations come after Trump purged the center’s bipartisan board members, just seven days after he was inaugurated into office in 2025. In February 2025, Trump named himself the board’s chairman. By December of that year, the president’s hand-selected board had voted to change the institution’s name to the Trump Kennedy Center. More show cancellations followed that move. Earlier this month, the Washington National Opera parted ways with the center after 55 years of collaboration.
