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By Khaleda Rahman
National Correspondent
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The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts has canceled a concert featuring the Gay Men's Chorus of Washington, D.C.
In a statement, the chorus said it was "deeply disappointed" by the news.
Jean Davidson, executive director of the National Symphony Orchestra, said in a statement to Newsweek that the center's decision came before Trump's takeover and was due to "financial and scheduling factors."
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Newsweek has contacted the Gay Men's Chorus for comment via email.
Why It Matters
The Kennedy Center has seen a wave of cancellations since President Donald Trump fired most of the board of trustees earlier this month, saying they did not share his vision for a "Golden Age" of the arts. He replaced them with loyalists and named himself chairman.
The president indicated that he would be in charge of programming at the institution and that changes would include an end to events that feature drag performers.
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What To Know
The National Symphony Orchestra's concert, A Peacock Among Pigeons: Celebrating 50 Years of Pride, was removed from the Kennedy Center's website and ticketing system last week, The Advocate reported.
Ticketing websites show the concert had been scheduled for May 21 and 22. According to screenshots shared on social media, the event was described on the center's website as "a concert celebration of love, diversity, and the vibrant spirit of the LGBTQ+ community."
The Gay Men's Chorus said in a statement posted on social media that the performance was "intended to be a part of the Kennedy Center's Pride celebration and we were very excited to be collaborating with the NSO as their guest chorus on the piece titled A Peacock Among Pigeons."
Davidson said the center would instead present The Wizard of Oz in concert.
What People Are Saying
The Gay Men's Chorus of Washington, D.C, said in a statement: "We believe in the power of music to educate and uplift, to foster love, understanding, and community, and we regret that this opportunity has been taken away. While we are saddened by the decision, we are committed to this work and to our mission of raising our voices for equality for all."
It added: "We will continue to advocate for artistic expression that reflects the depth and diversity of our community and country. We will continue to sing and raise our voices for equality."
Jean Davidson, the executive director of the National Symphony Orchestra, said in a statement to Newsweek: "Before the leadership transition at the Kennedy Center, we made the decision to postpone Peacock Among Pigeons due to financial and scheduling factors. We chose to replace it with The Wizard of Oz, another suitable program for World PRIDE participation. Program changes are a common practice. We were unable to announce the replacement program until we had secured the rights to present it, but in the interest of transparency, we removed the original program from the website to prevent further ticket sales."
Jeffrey Weisner, a member of the National Symphony Orchestra, wrote on Facebook on Monday: "We were scheduled to perform for the first time with Gay Men's Chorus of Washington On May 21st as part of World Pride in Washington DC 2025. The concert was abruptly canceled without explanation and removed from the KC website. However, they forgot to scrub it from the search engine."
Weisner added: "This post is for any LGBT folks who think that the Trump admin isn't targeting our entire community. Expect moves to remove us from antidiscrimination laws, plus lawsuits aimed at giving the Supreme Court the chance to overturn decisions that gave us rights."
President Donald Trump wrote on Truth Social on February 7: "At my direction, we are going to make the Kennedy Center in Washington D.C., GREAT AGAIN. I have decided to immediately terminate multiple individuals from the Board of Trustees, including the Chairman, who do not share our Vision for a Golden Age in Arts and Culture."
He added: "The Kennedy Center is an American Jewel, and must reflect the brightest STARS on its stage from all across our Nation. For the Kennedy Center, THE BEST IS YET TO COME!"
What Happens Next
The Gay Men's Chorus of Washington, D.C., said it would perform A Peacock Among Pigeons during the International Choral Festival, which is part of World Pride 2025.
Several performers have pulled out of performances at the Kennedy Center since Trump's takeover of the institution. Finn, a children's musical about a young shark, has also been canceled. A Kennedy Center spokesperson told The Washington Post that the cancellation was due to financial constraints and that it occurred before the change in leadership.
Other changes to the center's schedule could follow. Trump said on Truth Social that last year, the center "featured Drag Shows specifically targeting our youth—THIS WILL STOP."
Update 2/20/25, 6:00 a.m. ET: This article has been updated with a statement from Jean Davidson, executive director of the National Symphony Orchestra.
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