Washington National Opera relocates performances away from Kennedy Center to new venues
Washington National Opera relocates performances away from Kennedy Center to new venues
Jessica Kronzer | jkronzer@wtop.com
January 16, 2026, 2:58 PM
The Washington National Opera has relocated upcoming performances to a familiar venue as it breaks away from the Kennedy Center following President Donald Trumps takeover of the performing arts venue.
A few upcoming performances will be hosted at a venue that has history with the Washington National Opera: the Lisner Auditorium at George Washington University.
According to a Friday news release, the opera received a flood of donations after announcing last week it would depart from the Kennedy Center. The decision was made, according to the opera, over financial constraints imposed after Trump appointed his allies to the Kennedy Centers board.
The opera said its spring programming will be moved to other venues across the D.C. area. ... The Lisner Auditorium hosted the opera for its first performances 70 years ago.
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Jessica Kronzer graduated from James Madison University in May 2021 after studying media and politics. She enjoys covering politics, advocacy and compelling human-interest stories.
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