The National Symphony Orchestra will not perform at the Kennedy Center this upcoming season, breaking more than 55 years of tradition with the embattled performing arts center.
The announcement comes less than a week after the Kennedy Center’s board voted to inscribe President Donald Trump’s name into the storied building’s white marble facade — their second attempt to honor him by name — and proceed with a lengthy shutdown of the venue to accommodate an extensive $250 million renovation project.
The orchestra is performing at six different venues across Washington, Maryland and Virginia. The two venues in D.C. are Lisner Auditorium at George Washington University and Lincoln Theatre on U Street — with the Kennedy Center notably left off the stops for the symphony.