Washington National Opera Announces Departure from Kennedy Center After Four Decades
The Washington National Opera (WNO) has announced its decision to leave the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, marking the end of a nearly 40-year residency. The company plans to relocate its operations and performances to the historic Warner Theatre in downtown Washington, D.C., starting with the 2026-2027 season. This move concludes a long-standing partnership that has defined the capital’s operatic landscape since the WNO became the Kennedy Center’s resident opera company in 1986. The decision follows years of negotiations regarding performance scheduling, revenue sharing, and space allocation within the Kennedy Center’s busy calendar. Leadership from both institutions issued statements acknowledging the separation. Kennedy Center President Deborah Rutter expressed regret at the departure but noted the venue’s commitment to presenting diverse programming. WNO General Director Timothy O’Leary emphasized the move as a strategic opportunity for the company to establish a more permanent, dedicated home. The Warner Theatre, a 1924 movie palace restored for live performances, offers the opera company more control over its scheduling and production environment. While the Kennedy Center has served as a prestigious home for the WNO, the venue is often dominated by the Washington National Symphony Orchestra and demands a flexible schedule for touring productions. The move to the Warner Theatre is expected to stabilize the opera’s season dates and potentially increase ticket sales by locating the company in a dense, central business district. The split highlights a broader trend of arts organizations seeking independence from multi-purpose performing arts centers to better manage their artistic and financial destinies. Critics and supporters alike await details on how this transition will affect the scale of productions, ticket pricing, and subscriber retention. The WNO’s final season at the Kennedy Center is currently underway, concluding in the spring of 2026.
