Kennedy Center leads cultural closings across the region
In response to concerns about the spread of COVID-19, the Kennedy Center has canceled all public performances and events from March 13 through March 31. A Kennedy Center press release further specified that “until further notice, the Kennedy Center campus and its facilities will be closed to visitors.” Administrative staff will continue basic business operations, but all food services will also be closed.
In the press release, Kennedy Center President Deborah F. Rutter stated: “While this is an extraordinarily difficult decision to suspend all performances and activity throughout the month of March, it is the right thing to do to protect the health and well-being of our patrons, artists, and staff.” These actions follow the declaration of a public health emergency by Muriel Bowser, Mayor of the District of Columbia, which requested that “non-essential mass gatherings, including conferences and conventions, be postponed or cancelled through March 31.”
The Kennedy Center announcement was the latest in a cascade of closures announced by classical music presenters across the region. The Baltimore Symphony Orchestra canceled all concerts and other public events through March 21. Other presenters who have canceled or postponed concerts are the Library of Congress (closed to the public through April 1), the National Gallery of Art (concerts canceled through April 12), the museums of the Smithsonian (all public events, programming, and gatherings cancelled through May 3), and the concert series at Evermay (rest of the season canceled, through May 15).
Check back to Washington Classical Review’s concert calendar for further updates on cancellations.
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