Kennedy Center chaos as National Symphony Orchestra bolts
Another top executive is fleeing the chaos at the Kennedy Center, marking yet another blow to the prestigious arts institution now rebranded as the "Trump-Kennedy Center."
Jean Davidson, executive director of the National Symphony Orchestra, announced Friday she's jumping ship to head the Wallis Annenberg Center in Beverly Hills come May, abandoning her post less than three years after taking the job.
The exodus comes as chaos engulfs the iconic venue since President Donald Trump seized control, installing loyalist Richard Grenell as president, and slapping his name on the building.
“It’s no secret that this has been a really hard year,” Davidson said. “So I started looking for a new opportunity several months ago.”
The announcement comes after legendary composer Philip Glass withdrew his new symphony debut and banjo virtuoso Béla Fleck ditched three performances. Attendance cratered 50 percent, and the Washington National Opera bolted in January after 55 years as a resident company.
Davidson said she got zero notice of the abrupt two-year repair shutdown. The NSO's $42 million annual budget and 100-member orchestra were forced to scramble, finding new venues mid-season when classical schedules are locked in years in advance.
“There’s been a lot of change going on, and there’s not a lot of communication,” she told the Times. “We are finding out things through the press — at the same time as everyone else. Like the center closing on July 4.”
She added: “I didn’t see how I could be effective as a leader in the current climate."
Rep. Joyce Beatty has moved to block the shutdown in federal court.