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The Washington National Opera, a pillar of the center, announced that it was moving out<\/a> because of a decline in attendance and an edict from Mr. Grenell that all productions had to show how they would break even before the curtain raised. (Operas rarely make a profit from ticket sales alone, relying instead on contributions, but still often end up losing money.)<\/p>\n The center\u2019s other major classical music organization, the National Symphony Orchestra, continued to perform there \u2014 but often to empty seats, and scrambling to find substitutes for artists who canceled. And last week its executive director, Jean Davidson, announced she was leaving<\/a>, saying that she did not \u201csee how I could be effective as a leader in the current climate.\u201d<\/p>\n Under Mr. Grenell\u2019s leadership, dozens of Kennedy Center employees were fired or quit. The institution increasingly bowed to Mr. Trump\u2019s demands and, at times, his cultural preferences<\/a>. The president had approval over the selection of honorees for last year\u2019s Kennedy Center Honors, which he hosted himself<\/a>.<\/p>\n The president\u2019s decision to temporarily close the Kennedy Center caused an uproar among Democrats. Representative Joyce Beatty of Ohio, an ex officio member of the center\u2019s board, has asked a federal court to block the plan<\/a>, warning that Mr. Trump could be planning a surprise demolition of the center.<\/p>\n The news of Mr. Grenell\u2019s departure was earlier reported by Axios<\/a>.<\/p>\n Mr. Floca, who has a background in construction management, is stepping in as the center moves from a focus on offering arts programs to construction and rebuilding, with employees bracing for layoffs<\/a>. He joined the Kennedy Center in 2024 as vice president of facilities, and has been the main point person on renovations as President Trump has taken an interest in leaving his mark on the building.<\/p>\n