Washington National Opera sues the Kennedy Center to recover $17 million in donations
Key takeaways
- The Washington National Opera filed a lawsuit on Thursday that demands more than $17 million from the John F.
- The lawsuit claims that after the opera company and the Kennedy Center parted ways in January, center officials have not returned more than $17 million in gifts and donations that belong to the opera company.
- The Kennedy Center’s new president, Matt Floca, is leading tours to show the building’s need for major repairs.
Visitors look at a bronze sculpture of President Kennedy, right, in the John F. Kennedy Memorial Center for the Performing Arts, on Feb. 2, 2026 in Washington. (Rahmat Gul / Associated Press) By Emily St. Martin Staff Writer Follow June 12, 2026 3:53 PM PT 3 min Click here to listen to this article Share via Close extra sharing options Email Facebook X Linked In Threads Reddit Whats App Copy Link URL Copied! Print 0:00 0:00 1x This is read by an automated voice. Please report any issues or inconsistencies here.
The Washington National Opera filed a lawsuit on Thursday that demands more than $17 million from the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. The opera company claims it is owed millions in donations that have been withheld.
The lawsuit claims that after the opera company and the Kennedy Center parted ways in January, center officials have not returned more than $17 million in gifts and donations that belong to the opera company. The lawsuit lists the federal government as a defendant because the Kennedy Center was established by Congress.