Acclaimed soprano Renée Fleming and a children’s theater show inspired by Bruce Lee are the latest performers to withdraw from scheduled appearances at the Kennedy Center.
Their decisions have increased pressure on other prominent arts organizations — including the San Francisco Ballet — to reconsider their own plans at the venue.
Fleming, a Grammy-winning opera star who regularly collaborates with the San Francisco Opera, has pulled out of two performances set for May with the National Symphony Orchestra. The Kennedy Center attributed her exit to a “scheduling conflict,” noting that a replacement soloist and new repertoire would be announced later while the rest of the program would remain intact.
Her withdrawal marks another high-profile departure following President Donald Trump’s restructuring of the Kennedy Center’s leadership, his appointment of himself as chair, and his support for renaming the institution the Trump Kennedy Center. Fleming had already stepped down last year from her advisory role at the center, citing the forced exits of longtime leaders David Rubenstein and Deborah Rutter.
Seattle Children’s Theatre also announced it would no longer bring its production Young Dragon: A Bruce Lee Story to the Kennedy Center, sharing the news on Instagram. Managing Director Kevin Malgesini said that although the company was initially excited about presenting a bicoastal world premiere, changes in the broader environment led them to conclude that this was not the right moment to transfer the show. He emphasized the importance of honoring Bruce Lee’s legacy authentically and maintaining the trust of their community.
The theater company said the decision followed extensive conversations with artists, community partners, and the Bruce Lee family and foundation. Shannon Lee, Bruce Lee’s daughter and chair of the Bruce Lee Foundation, publicly backed the choice, saying she supported the theater’s commitment to the values her father stood for, even if it meant the production would not appear in Washington, D.C. this spring.
These cancellations come as Democrats escalate legal and legislative challenges to the proposed renaming of the Kennedy Center. One such effort includes a federal lawsuit filed by Ohio Representative Joyce Beatty, arguing that because Congress established the center’s name by law, any change would require congressional approval.
Despite the growing controversy, the San Francisco Ballet is still scheduled to perform Mere Mortals at the Kennedy Center from May 27 to 31, marking the company’s first appearance at the venue since 2018 and the East Coast premiere of the work.
