Mexican-American children’s music artist Sonia De Los Santos has cancelled her two performances on February 7 at the Kennedy Center that included a “creative conversation” after the concert.
Speaking on her decision Santos said on social media, “as an artist, I treasure the freedom to create and share my music, and for many years I have used this privilege to uplift the stories of immigrants in this country. Unfortunately, I do not feel that the current climate at this beloved venue represents a welcoming space for myself, my band, or our audience.”
Kennedy Center spokesperson Roma Daravi claims that the Kennedy Center is open to everyone but it was taken over in a hostile takeover under the guise of ending “woke” programming. In an email Daravi wrote, “this country was built on legal immigrants and as a first generation American, I find her statement highly offensive. Refusing to engage with an institution open to everyone is, in fact, a step towards discrimination.”
Daravi is of Persian descent.
Santos is the latest artist to cancel performances at the historic Performing Arts Center after the Center was the subject of a hostile takeover last February and subsequently was given (an illegal) a name change last month.
Last week banjo virtuoso Bela Fleck cancelled three performances with his Flecktones and the National Symphony Orchestra with a social media message of “playing at the center had become charged and political.”
Kennedy Center president Rick Grenell responded on social media with “Fleck made it political and caved to the woke mob.”
“Wicked” composer Stephen Schwartz and the variety show Asian AF have also cancelled shows for later this year.
But perhaps the biggest shocker is that the Washington National Opera is leaving the Kennedy Center. The WNO says that they are hoping for an “amicable transition”.
In a statement, the WNO stated, “to ensure fiscal prudence and fulfill its obligations for a balanced budget, the WNO will reduce its spring season and relocate performances to new venues.”
The Opera added that the new business model was part of the reason saying it, “requires productions to be fully funded in advance — a requirement incompatible with opera operations.”
Kennedy Center spokesperson Roma Daravi stated, “after consideration, we have made the difficult decision to part ways with the WNO due to a financially challenging relationship.”
A number of the recent cancelled performances at the Kennedy Center included participation by the WNO.