Renée Fleming Cancels Kennedy Center May Concerts Amid Board Shakeup

Renée Fleming canceled her May 29-30, 2026 performances with conductor James Gaffigan and the National Symphony Orchestra at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, the center said on its website.

Fleming resigned as Artistic Advisor-at-Large in February 2025 after President Donald Trump assumed the board chairmanship, a leadership overhaul that has preceded multiple performer withdrawals, according to her earlier statement and center records.

Rep. Joyce Beatty (D-Ohio), an ex officio trustee, filed a lawsuit claiming only Congress can change the center's name and called the process "a complete disgrace," her statement says.

Other artists who have canceled or severed ties include Lin-Manuel Miranda, Bela Fleck, Issa Rae and the band Low Cut Connie, and the Washington National Opera ended its collaboration after performing there since 1971, public records show.

The Kennedy Center said a new soloist and repertoire for the May 29-30 program will be announced at a later date, and Rep. Beatty's lawsuit seeking to block the board's renaming remains pending in court.