NSO to Play Six DC Venues

The National Symphony Orchestra has announced its 2026-27 season will be staged across six venues in the DC area due to the Kennedy Center’s planned two-year renovation and temporary closure. The venues include Lisner Auditorium, the Music Center at Strathmore, the Schlesinger Concert Hall in Alexandria, George Mason University’s Center for the Arts, the University of Maryland’s Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center, and the Lincoln Theatre, with 64 concerts planned overall. The Kennedy Center, now led by a board aligned with President Donald J. Trump, faces a federal court order to remove his name from the building and to proceed with renovations, though the board has suggested adding his name to the facade in a different form. Ticket sales have been weak in recent years, with capacity figures reported as declining to about 41% last season, prompting the shift to multiple venues to reconnect with audiences. Music director Gianandrea Noseda expressed optimism about rebuilding attendance and noted that the repertoire remains aligned with what would have been performed at the Kennedy Center, even as the orchestra adapts to the new venues. The NSO will rehearse at the Kennedy Center during reconstruction and maintain its offices and library there, while using partner venues across DC and its suburbs to deliver its season.