Following the takeover of the Kennedy Center by President Trump and his allies, Washington Performing Arts, the city’s principal independent presenter of touring classical artists, has announced that it will not stage events at the center next season.
In a statement accompanying announcement of Washington Performing Arts’ 2025-26 season, Jenny Bilfield, the organization’s president and CEO, did not directly address the new regime at the Kennedy Center, but said, “In these complex times, it is more crucial than ever to share spaces where we can feel seen, welcomed, heard, and nourished.”
Attractions including the Chicago Symphony and Philharmonia orchestras, cellist Yo-Yo Ma, pianists Igor Levit and Jean-Yves Thibaudet, and the Danish and Pacifica string quartets will perform at Lisner Auditorium, Sixth & I Historic Synagogue, the Music Center at Strathmore and other DC area venues.
For details on the season, visit http://www.washingtonperformingarts.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/25-05-22_Press-Release_Season-Announcement.pdf
Letter V 