New details have been revealed regarding the Washington National Opera’s departure from the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts.

In a new report from the Washington Post, it has been revealed that Artistic Director Francesca Zambello’s Guardian interview, in which she first suggested the possibility of leaving the Kennedy Center, was what set the company in motion to leave.

According to the new report, Zambello did the interview on her own without warning anyone. The board and its General Director Timothy O’Leary were caught by surprise.

But Zambello decided to do it due to the effects of President Donald J. Trump’s hostile takeover which saw the Washington National Opera’s audience decrease and donations plummet. Additionally, O’Leary started to realize the challenges of planning seasons with Executive Director Richard Grenell’s new business model. For Grenell, it was important that the company give them revenue projections and that the funding be in place to break even. The Washington National Opera’s staffers paid for by the Kennedy Center also fell from 56 to 36 and the entire development department left.

As result of these new challenges, Zambello chose a platform that would have the biggest impact internationally. As she told the Washington Post, “I was concerned that many people who I spoke with — audience members, donors — they did not know our situation. And it’s my job to tell the truth.”

The interview was met with anger and Grenell told the opera to discipline Zambello.

At that point Grenell also told the board that he wanted to end the center’s contract with the opera company.

However, at the time, the Kennedy Center released a statement denying Zambello’s claims and even released a statement by Andy Pharoah, President of the WNO Board of Trustees, that read, “The WNO has no plans to move out of the Kennedy Center and we are proud to be part of America’s cultural center, entering our 70th season.”

OperaWire has asked the Kennedy Center for comment on the story and will update this piece if they respond.

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