Renée Fleming Latest to Cancel Kennedy Center Show Amid Trump Takeover

Since President Donald Trump took over Washington, D.C.‘s Kennedy Center — installing himself as chairman, firing the president to replace with a longtime loyalist, and changing the name to the Donald J. Trump and John F. Kennedy Memorial Center for the Performing Arts — the venue has faced a slew of cancellations.

The latest person to call-off their performance at the venue is Renée Fleming, who had two scheduled gigs in May, appearing with conductor James Gaffigan and the National Symphony Orchestra. Fleming previously resigned from the Center as the “Artistic Advisor at Large,” citing the forced departures of Kennedy Center Chair David Rubenstein, as well aa its president, Deborah Rutter. 

The Kennedy Center merely cited a “scheduling conflict” for the reasoning behind Fleming’s cancellation, writing in a statement on their website that “a new soloist and repertoire will be announced at a later date, and the remainder of the program remains unchanged.”

Fleming is certainly not the first to cancel a show at the venue; earlier this month, the Washington National Opera announced it would cut ties with the venue after 55 years.

Chuck Redd pulled the plug on his annual “Jazz Jams” Christmas Concert at the Kennedy Center last month, followed by a pair of New Year’s Eve concerts by the jazz supergroup The Cookers. Alongside the holiday shows, folk singer Kristy Lee cancelled a show in January, while Doug Varone and Dancers said they would no longer perform at the venue in April.

Additionally, “Wicked” composer Stephen Schwartz said he will no longer host the Washington National Opera Gala this May.

The Kennedy Center has faced criticism and political scrutiny since Trump’s appointment. The President previously said that he plans to eliminate drag shows and “woke” art at the venue, though admitted he has never actually seen a show at the institution. Shows have been cancelled, including the production “Finn” and the award-winning “Hamilton.” “Legally Blonde” has also been postponed.