The Washington National Opera is accusing the Kennedy Center of failing to return more than $17 million in donor funds, escalating a dispute that followed the end of a 15-year partnership between the two institutions.In a court filing, the opera company said the money in question came from years of contributions by supporters who specifically intended their gifts to benefit the Washington National Opera and its artistic and educational mission. Those donors, the filing argues, entrusted their contributions to support performances, artists, and community programming carried out by the opera over decades.“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 organization said in court filings. “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 dispute centers on a long-standing affiliation agreement under which the Kennedy Center managed donations on behalf of the opera for roughly 15 years, while the two organizations remained legally separate entities. According to the filing, the Kennedy Center handled fundraising, administrative support, and the management of WNO-designated contributions “for the benefit of WNO,” with those funds always belonging to the opera.
