The Washington National Opera (WNO) filed a lawsuit Thursday, accusing the Kennedy Center of holding onto more than $17 million in donations meant for the opera company after the two organizations ended their partnership earlier this year.
The legal complaint, which names the federal government as the defendant, argues that the Kennedy Center—a federally chartered institution and part of the Smithsonian—has no right to keep funds donated specifically to support the opera's work. The WNO said the money came from donors who directed their gifts to the opera's artists, performances, and community programs.
“The funds held by the Kennedy Center represent years of gifts and contributions made by loyal WNO donors who specifically directed their support to benefit WNO and its mission,” the opera stated in the court filing. “Those donors trusted that their contributions would support WNO’s artists, its performances and the education and community programs that WNO has carried out for decades.”
The Hill has reached out to the Kennedy Center for comment on the lawsuit.
The WNO ended its affiliation with the performing arts center in January, citing what it called “a financially challenging relationship.” Under the previous agreement, the Kennedy Center managed all donations made to the opera for the past 15 years. The opera said it has tried to resolve the dispute through mediation, but the center has refused to participate.
“Having exhausted its efforts to amicably resolve this matter, WNO files this lawsuit to seek the return of money that belongs to it and is necessary to fulfill its mission,” the opera wrote in its filing.
The split comes amid President Trump’s takeover of the Kennedy Center, which has prompted several artists to cancel performances. The center’s board recently appealed a ruling that would remove Trump’s name from the building’s exterior. The president has pushed to add his moniker to the venue and close it for renovations. References to Trump have been removed from the center’s website and formal invitations, though his name remains on some social media accounts.
This legal battle adds to the turmoil surrounding the Kennedy Center under Trump’s influence. The WNO, which has performed at the venue for 50 years, is seeking to recover the funds it says are essential to its mission.
