Grammy Award-winning opera vocalist Renee Fleming has confirmed her withdrawal from the May concert series at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. Fleming had been slated to perform alongside the National Symphony Orchestra during the month of May but announced her exit due to what the Kennedy Center described as a "scheduling conflict." Though the center will appoint an alternative soloist and adjust the repertoire accordingly, the remainder of the event lineup remains intact.
This development emerges amid a series of artist and group withdrawals since the Kennedy Center experienced a major governance transformation last year. President Donald Trump assumed the chairmanship of the institution, installing a board primarily composed of his allies. In December, the board took the unprecedented step of renaming the facility to the "Donald J. Trump and the John F. Kennedy Memorial Center for the Performing Arts," informally referred to as the Trump Kennedy Center.
In response, multiple performers have distanced themselves from the center. The rebranding effort, which has no legal backing according to Democrats citing congressional authority over the center's name, has been criticized for compromising the legacy of former President John F. Kennedy, a stance echoed by his family members.
Last year, Renee Fleming also resigned from her advisory role at the Kennedy Center, attributing her departure to the exit of former leadership. Her recent withdrawal reinforces the ongoing tension and discomfort expressed by certain artists in relation to the center’s new management and identity.
According to a message released on the Kennedy Center's official website, "Renee Fleming regrets that, due to a scheduling conflict, she must withdraw from her May 2026 concerts with the NSO." The announcement further assured that adjustments would be made to the event roster to ensure the continuation of scheduled performances.