Washington National Opera Files Lawsuit Against Kennedy Center
By Francisco SalazarThe Washington National Opera (WNO) has filed a lawsuit against the Kennedy Center.
According to the New York Times, the company alleges that Kennedy Center failed to return over $17 million in donations made to the organization after they split earlier this year.
The court filing, which was made on June 11 in the United States Court of Federal Claims, states, “The funds held by the Kennedy Center represent years of gifts and contributions made by loyal WNO donors who specifically directed their support to benefit WNO and its mission.”
It added, “Those donors trusted that their contributions would support WNO’s artists, its performances and the education and community programs that WNO has carried out for decades.”
The complaint names the federal government as the defendant, since Congress established the Kennedy Center.
The Washington National Opera left the Kennedy Center in January stating, “Today, the Washington National Opera announced its decision to seek an amicable early termination of its affiliation agreement with the Kennedy Center and resume operations as a fully independent nonprofit entity.” During that time, the Opera’s leadership indicated that a decline in ticket sales and cancelations led to the decision.
Since the company left, it has performed at different venues around the D.C. area and has already announced its 2026-27 season.
Read Related Stories
