Overview
- The composer withdrew Symphony No. 15, 'Lincoln,' which had been slated for a June world premiere in Washington with the National Symphony Orchestra led by Gianandrea Noseda.
- He announced the move in a public letter stating the institution's current values conflict with the work's portrayal of Abraham Lincoln.
- The center's board voted in December to rename the venue to include Donald J. Trump, and Trump has asserted control of the board and publicly defended his changes.
- Artist departures have widened, with cancellations by figures such as Renée Fleming, reports of audiences falling by about half, and the Washington National Opera planning to leave the venue.
- The National Symphony Orchestra remains financially tied to the center through roughly $10 million in annual support, while Democrats and the Kennedy family argue the renaming lacks legal force and erodes JFK's legacy.