‘Fellow Travelers’ Lavender Scare Opera Withdraws From Kennedy Center In Protest Of Trump Takeover

deadline.com:

The composer and lyricist of Fellow Travelers, an opera based on Thomas Mallon’s 2007 novel about the anti-gay lavender scare of the 1950s, have withdrawn the work from the 2025-26 season of the Washington National Opera at The Kennedy Center in Washington D.C., citing concern over Donald Trump’s takeover of the institution’s leadership.

The withdrawal was confirmed by Tim O’Leary and Francesca Zambello, Washington National Opera General Director and Artistic Director, respectively.

In a statement obtained by Deadline, O’Leary and Zambello said, “We deeply regret that the creative team of Fellow Travelers has decided to deprive WNO audiences of the chance to experience this opera.

Art and music have the power to rise above division and bring people together to find common ground. The WNO has long been a place for everyone to enjoy the power of the opera and it will remain a place for patrons of all backgrounds and beliefs.” In a letter to the Washington National Opera obtained by The New York Times, the opera’s composer Gregory Spears and librettist Greg Pierce indicated that Trump’s takeover does not uphold Fellow Travelers‘ values of “freedom and liberty for all people.” (Mallon’s novel was also adapted for television in 2023, with Matt Bomer and Jonathan Bailey starring in the Showtime miniseries).