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National Symphony Orchestra will play at 6 DC-area venues next season as Kennedy Center shuts
The orchestra will stage 64 concerts at smaller halls and on tour as ticket sales fell to 41% last season, The Washington Post reported.
On Tuesday, the National Symphony Orchestra announced it will split its 2026–27 season among six D.C.-area venues, including the Lincoln Theatre and Strathmore, following Kennedy Center's renovation closure.
The Kennedy Center board, comprised of allies of President Donald Trump, mandated a two-year closure for renovation and cited his 'strategic direction' as Kennedy Center chair while planning to add his name to the building's facade.
Music director Gianandrea Noseda confirmed that stage constraints forced program changes, substituting Franz Schubert's Symphony No. for Gioachino Rossini's 'William Tell' overture to accommodate smaller venues.
Tickets for the 64-concert season go on sale Aug. 28, leaving compressed time to reverse a downward trend that saw attendance fall from 72% in 2024 to 41% last season.
With his contract extending through the NSO's 100th anniversary season in 2030-31, Noseda envisions operating as a 'regional touring orchestra' to engage audiences where they live rather than invite them to traditional venues.