Renée Fleming's Kennedy Center Cancellation Sparks Further Artist Exodus Amid Trump Era.
Grammy-winning soprano Renée Fleming has pulled out of two upcoming performances at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, joining a growing list of musicians who have abandoned ship in protest of President Donald Trump's increasingly dominant influence over the institution.
The 25-year veteran of the center, known for her powerful voice and extensive repertoire, will be replaced by "a new soloist and repertoire" at the May 29 and 30 shows originally scheduled with conductor James Gaffigan and the National Symphony Orchestra.
Fleming's decision to cancel comes as no surprise, given that she had already stepped down from her role as Artistic Advisor-at-Large last year following a tumultuous period of change at the Kennedy Center. As part of this shake-up, Chair David Rubenstein and President Deborah Rutter were forced out, marking a significant departure from the center's bipartisan roots.
Fleming is just the latest in a long line of artists to ditch their scheduled appearances at the Kennedy Center, which has been plagued by controversy under Trump's leadership. Other high-profile cancellations include Issa Rae, Low Cut Connie, Rhiannon Giddens, and Lin-Manuel Miranda's scrapped revival of Hamilton.
The exodus appears to be in response to Trump's appointment as Chairman of the center's board just seven days into his presidency. The move sparked widespread outrage among arts officials, who felt that the president was imposing his own ego-driven agenda on an institution designed to promote bipartisan collaboration and artistic freedom.
Grammy-winning soprano Renée Fleming has pulled out of two upcoming performances at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, joining a growing list of musicians who have abandoned ship in protest of President Donald Trump's increasingly dominant influence over the institution.
The 25-year veteran of the center, known for her powerful voice and extensive repertoire, will be replaced by "a new soloist and repertoire" at the May 29 and 30 shows originally scheduled with conductor James Gaffigan and the National Symphony Orchestra.
Fleming's decision to cancel comes as no surprise, given that she had already stepped down from her role as Artistic Advisor-at-Large last year following a tumultuous period of change at the Kennedy Center. As part of this shake-up, Chair David Rubenstein and President Deborah Rutter were forced out, marking a significant departure from the center's bipartisan roots.
Fleming is just the latest in a long line of artists to ditch their scheduled appearances at the Kennedy Center, which has been plagued by controversy under Trump's leadership. Other high-profile cancellations include Issa Rae, Low Cut Connie, Rhiannon Giddens, and Lin-Manuel Miranda's scrapped revival of Hamilton.
The exodus appears to be in response to Trump's appointment as Chairman of the center's board just seven days into his presidency. The move sparked widespread outrage among arts officials, who felt that the president was imposing his own ego-driven agenda on an institution designed to promote bipartisan collaboration and artistic freedom.
anyway this exodus of artists is giving me life! it's like everyone's speaking out against the politics and ego that's taking over the center. I feel like the arts are supposed to be about bringing people together, you know? not dividing them 
Renée Fleming is a total legend & I love her music, but she's got every right to stand up for herself and artists everywhere 
. I mean, who wants their performances turned into a politics-filled circus? 
Not me, that's for sure 
. The whole thing just feels so... toxic 
. Can't we all just get along & enjoy some beautiful music without it becoming a war zone? 
. With Trump's influence taking over, it's like artists are being priced out of their own space 
. I mean, who needs ego-driven agendas when you have beautiful music to share? The fact that other big names have already jumped ship is telling – Issa Rae, Low Cut Connie, Rhiannon Giddens... the list goes on 
.
. The Kennedy Center used to be this beacon of arts and culture, but now it just feels like a platform for self-promotion 
. I'm not sure what the solution is, but I do know that artists need to prioritize their own values and artistic freedom 
. It's time to take a stand against all this politics-in-the-art-world nonsense 
they're just pushing artists away because of Trump's ego... it's not right. i feel for Lin-Manuel Miranda too, his Hamilton show is iconic!!! 
and low cut connie too, their music is so underrated! 
i'm so done with Trump's influence on the arts scene, can't they just stick to politics?! 
. I'm not surprised, though - that whole appointment thing was a big deal. It's like he's imposing his own vision on the center without even trying to understand what it does. Interesting 
...
And Renée Fleming cancelling her shows because Trump's at the helm... yeah, that's super predictable. 
I'm so done with this toxic culture we're fostering online and offline. Can't we just try to get along for once? 
I mean, I get it, people are passionate about preserving arts freedom and all that jazz, but can't we just keep the drama to a minimum? 
It's like, when Lin-Manuel Miranda cancelled Hamilton, I was low-key heartbroken 
. Renée Fleming just did what she had to do, you know? Protecting her art and her sanity 
. The thing is, this whole situation makes me think about all the great shows that are out there right now... have you seen Ted Lasso? It's like, so funny and heartwarming 
. Anyway, I'm rooting for the arts to keep fighting on 
. artists are starting to realize they can't just perform at a place that disrespects them, ya feel? its time for some new blood and change 
I can imagine how tough it must be for her to have to pull out like that, especially when she was originally scheduled to perform with a conductor and orchestra that she'd worked with before.
. The Kennedy Center was once a beacon of bipartisan cooperation, but it seems that's all been sacrificed at the altar of partisan politics 
i heard low cut connie just canceled their tour too and rhiannon giddens was like 'no thanks' to performing at trump's inauguration... what's going on with that guy?!