Washington National Opera sues to force Kennedy Center to turn over $17M in gifts
The Washington Post • • entertainment
Key Points:
- The Washington National Opera filed a lawsuit on Thursday seeking the return of $17 million in donor gifts, bequests, and endowment funds from the Kennedy Center.
- The complaint alleges that the Kennedy Center has "wrongfully held" these funds for years despite them belonging to the opera company.
- The legal action comes five months after the two institutions ended their approximately 15-year affiliation in January 2026.
- The lawsuit was filed in the U.S. Court of Federal Claims, aiming to compel the Kennedy Center to transfer the funds back to the Washington National Opera.