Kennedy Center Scrambles After Grammy Winner Cancels Appearances
The Daily BeastUpdated
Fri, January 23, 2026 at 8:52 PM UTC
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The Kennedy Center is scrambling to find a replacement for a pair of shows after the Grammy-winning soprano Renée Fleming canceled her appearances. Those cancellations make the 66-year-old Fleming the latest to withdraw from performances at the center after President Donald Trump overhauled its leadership structure, including installing himself as chair. The Pennsylvania-born artist resigned as Artistic Advisor at Large to the Center last year in protest of Trump’s purge of existing leadership and the installation of his own board of close allies, which includes White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles and second lady Usha Vance.