Six months after dramatically departing the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts to escape President Donald Trump's takeover of the institution, the Washington National Opera is experiencing unexpected success — expanding its artistic reach and attracting a groundswell of new support from donors nationwide.
The opera company's departure from its longtime home came after Trump stacked the Kennedy Center board with loyalists and had his name added to the facade, New York Times reported on Friday. But rather than crippling the organization, the move has enabled it to flourish.
The opera announced it will produce five full-length operas — including a world premiere based on the life of artist Georgia O'Keeffe — and three smaller-scale works across five stages throughout the Washington region. The productions will feature top-tier singers including Renée Fleming, Isabel Leonard, Thomas Hampson, and Christine Goerke, The Times reported.
"We didn't lose any artists. We didn't lose any staff when we rebooted as a new company. Nobody lost a paycheck. Nobody lost their benefits. Everyone has been very united," explained Francesca Zambello, the artistic director of the Washington National Opera.
The company's budget has actually increased to around $30 million next year from $25 million previously — though the additional costs stem from renting multiple halls, losing the Kennedy Center's subsidy, and losing in-house staff support.
Timothy O'Leary, the opera's general director, acknowledged the financial challenges while highlighting community support. "We had to increase our fund-raising budget significantly to cover new costs and to account for limited weeks available in new venues, which means fewer revenue-earning performances per production. Thankfully, we have received leadership support from our board and donor base, as well as a groundswell of new donors from around the country," O'Leary told The Times.
About 1,500 people have donated to the opera over the last four months, including a $500,000 gift from an anonymous donor. The Lyric Opera of Chicago has also lent the company costumes for a production of Puccini's "Madama Butterfly."
"It's going to be a very different experience for people. I think we'll get a lot of new audiences," Zambello said.
She indicated this decentralized period is viewed as temporary, with hopes the company could return to the Kennedy Center after renovations and once Trump has left office.
"I'm proud that we are the organization that went out on a limb and stood up for all the important values that art is about. I have to leave behind the Kennedy Center. I am going to remember the ideals of the Kennedy Center, but we are going to practice them someplace else," Zambello promised.