Jonathan L. Fischer
@jonfischer.bsky.social
Arts & Entertainment Editor at @washingtonpost.com. Proprietor, http://hedswillroll.tumblr.com.
The Washington National Opera says it's decided to leave the Kennedy Center. The Kennedy Center says it was the one that ended the relationship. www.washingtonpost.com/style/2026/0...
Washington National Opera is moving out of the Kennedy Center
The Washington National Opera decided on Friday to move out of its longtime home at the Kennedy Center. The center said it ended the relationship.
www.washingtonpost.com
January 10, 2026 at 12:05 AM
The Washington National Opera says it's decided to leave the Kennedy Center. The Kennedy Center says it was the one that ended the relationship. www.washingtonpost.com/style/2026/0...
Reposted by Jonathan L. Fischer
I had an interesting, nuanced conversation with Bela Fleck about why he isn't playing at the Kennedy Center. "Not canceling is taking a side," he says, and he wants to be nonpolitical.
Here's a gift link to the piece: wapo.st/49szcRI
Here's a gift link to the piece: wapo.st/49szcRI
Béla Fleck on dropping his Kennedy Center shows: ‘Not canceling is taking a side’
The acclaimed banjoist says playing at an arts institution remolded by President Donald Trump would be a political statement, and he didn’t want to make one.
wapo.st
January 7, 2026 at 8:11 PM
I had an interesting, nuanced conversation with Bela Fleck about why he isn't playing at the Kennedy Center. "Not canceling is taking a side," he says, and he wants to be nonpolitical.
Here's a gift link to the piece: wapo.st/49szcRI
Here's a gift link to the piece: wapo.st/49szcRI
Béla Fleck talks to us about why he decided to cancel his upcoming Kennedy Center appearances www.washingtonpost.com/entertainmen...
Béla Fleck on dropping his Kennedy Center shows: ‘Not canceling is taking a side’
The acclaimed banjoist says playing at an arts institution remolded by President Donald Trump would be a political statement, and he didn’t want to make one.
www.washingtonpost.com
January 7, 2026 at 8:44 PM
Béla Fleck talks to us about why he decided to cancel his upcoming Kennedy Center appearances www.washingtonpost.com/entertainmen...
Our coverage of Nick Reiner's arraignment today www.washingtonpost.com/entertainmen...
Nick Reiner appears at arraignment on charges of killing his parents
Reiner is facing two counts of first-degree murder in connection to the fatal stabbing of his parents, the filmmaker Rob Reiner and Michele Singer Reiner.
www.washingtonpost.com
January 7, 2026 at 5:46 PM
Our coverage of Nick Reiner's arraignment today www.washingtonpost.com/entertainmen...
Our list (which will update as needed) of artist cancellations following the Kennedy Center board's vote to rename the center after Trump: www.washingtonpost.com/style/2026/0...
‘Wicked’ composer joins growing list of Kennedy Center cancellations
Stephen Schwartz is one of the most high-profile artists who has backed out of an event since the center’s name change. Here’s the full list of cancelled upcoming performances.
www.washingtonpost.com
January 5, 2026 at 7:53 PM
Our list (which will update as needed) of artist cancellations following the Kennedy Center board's vote to rename the center after Trump: www.washingtonpost.com/style/2026/0...
The great Park Chan-wook, profiled. www.washingtonpost.com/entertainmen...
The diabolical genius behind the year’s funniest unemployment thriller
Why director Park Chan-wook had to make “No Other Choice” in Korea instead of America, and why he thinks the film is better for it.
www.washingtonpost.com
January 5, 2026 at 2:52 PM
The great Park Chan-wook, profiled. www.washingtonpost.com/entertainmen...
Our Sunday section is about the machines.
January 4, 2026 at 2:51 PM
Our Sunday section is about the machines.
Fountains across D.C. are getting fixed up www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/202...
National Park Service to spend $54 million on landmark D.C. fountains
The National Park Service is spending $54.2 million to repair seven fountains in Washington, according to procurement records reviewed by The Washington Post.
www.washingtonpost.com
January 2, 2026 at 7:17 PM
Fountains across D.C. are getting fixed up www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/202...
Wholly concur www.washingtonpost.com/entertainmen...
Review | Love triumphs over lore in the teary ‘Stranger Things’ finale
The hit Netflix show ended its nine-year run with a long, emotional, very ’80s epilogue.
www.washingtonpost.com
January 2, 2026 at 2:03 AM
Wholly concur www.washingtonpost.com/entertainmen...
Our critic on the “Stranger Things” finale www.washingtonpost.com/entertainmen...
Review | Love triumphs over lore in the teary ‘Stranger Things’ finale
The hit Netflix show ended its nine-year run with a long, emotional, very ’80s epilogue.
www.washingtonpost.com
January 1, 2026 at 2:52 PM
Our critic on the “Stranger Things” finale www.washingtonpost.com/entertainmen...
Trump is looking to reinstall friendly votes on the Commission of Fine Arts, which will review his ballroom plans: www.washingtonpost.com/politics/202...
Trump is reconstituting the Fine Arts panel set to review his ballroom
The White House is seeking members likely to clear the way for President Donald Trump’s controversial ballroom and other projects.
www.washingtonpost.com
January 1, 2026 at 2:51 PM
Trump is looking to reinstall friendly votes on the Commission of Fine Arts, which will review his ballroom plans: www.washingtonpost.com/politics/202...
The Trump administration terminated the lease agreement governing Washington’s three public golf courses www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2025/...
Future of D.C. golf courses uncertain as Trump administration terminates lease
National Links Trust, the nonprofit that has run the courses since 2020, objects to Interior Department’s assertion that it hasn’t fulfilled its obligations.
www.washingtonpost.com
December 31, 2025 at 6:07 PM
The Trump administration terminated the lease agreement governing Washington’s three public golf courses www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2025/...
Our critic’s year of not listening to AI-generated pop music. You can do it too! www.washingtonpost.com/entertainmen...
Column | My year of not listening to AI-generated pop music
Because it isn’t music. And resistance is easy.
www.washingtonpost.com
December 31, 2025 at 5:15 PM
Our critic’s year of not listening to AI-generated pop music. You can do it too! www.washingtonpost.com/entertainmen...
New images show closer look at the East Wing demolition www.washingtonpost.com/politics/int...
New images offer closer look at demolition for the White House ballroom
The project reflects Trump’s expansive view of presidential authority — even over the White House itself.
www.washingtonpost.com
December 31, 2025 at 5:08 PM
New images show closer look at the East Wing demolition www.washingtonpost.com/politics/int...
One of Style's finest traditions: THE LIST. www.washingtonpost.com/style/intera...
The List
What’s in and what’s out for 2026
www.washingtonpost.com
December 31, 2025 at 2:39 PM
One of Style's finest traditions: THE LIST. www.washingtonpost.com/style/intera...
NEWS: The Kennedy Center changed its board rules months before the renaming vote. According to the new bylaws, only presidential appointees could vote: www.washingtonpost.com/style/2025/1...
Kennedy Center changed board rules months before vote to add Trump’s name
The cultural center said only trustees appointed by the president could vote, barring other members, including Democrats who hold seats, from decisions.
www.washingtonpost.com
December 31, 2025 at 2:31 PM
NEWS: The Kennedy Center changed its board rules months before the renaming vote. According to the new bylaws, only presidential appointees could vote: www.washingtonpost.com/style/2025/1...
Ratings for the Kennedy Center Honors plummeted this year, according to the Nielsen report www.washingtonpost.com/entertainmen...
Kennedy Center Honors ratings tank amid Trump takeover
The Kennedy Center Honors earned record-low viewership of a little over 3 million after President Trump overhauled the cultural center.
www.washingtonpost.com
December 31, 2025 at 2:01 AM
Ratings for the Kennedy Center Honors plummeted this year, according to the Nielsen report www.washingtonpost.com/entertainmen...
Our Carmen de Lavallade obituary. www.washingtonpost.com/obituaries/2...
Carmen de Lavallade, mesmerizing dancer and choreographer, dies at 94
She helped lay the foundation for modern dance in the U.S., collaborating with Alvin Ailey as well as her husband, Geoffrey Holder.
www.washingtonpost.com
December 30, 2025 at 6:27 PM
Our Carmen de Lavallade obituary. www.washingtonpost.com/obituaries/2...
KenCen cancelations are mounting after board adds Trump’s name www.washingtonpost.com/entertainmen...
New Year’s Eve concert is latest cancellation at the Kennedy Center
Jazz supergroup the Cookers scrapped their New Year’s Eve shows at the center days after a Christmas Eve concert was called off. The cancellations come after the board voted to add the president’s nam...
www.washingtonpost.com
December 30, 2025 at 4:44 PM
KenCen cancelations are mounting after board adds Trump’s name www.washingtonpost.com/entertainmen...
Our Richard Smallwood obituary. www.washingtonpost.com/obituaries/2...
Richard Smallwood, a soaring voice in gospel music, dies at 77
He became one of the country’s biggest names in gospel, with songs that were covered by Destiny’s Child, Whitney Houston and Stevie Wonder.
www.washingtonpost.com
December 30, 2025 at 4:42 PM
Our Richard Smallwood obituary. www.washingtonpost.com/obituaries/2...
Our last Sunday section of the year.
December 28, 2025 at 2:19 PM
Our last Sunday section of the year.
Our Brigitte Bardot obituary. www.washingtonpost.com/obituaries/2...
Brigitte Bardot, French femme fatale and cultural phenomenon, dies at 91
The actress and singer was a symbol of sexual revolution. She later became an animal-welfare campaigner and incendiary right-wing commenter.
www.washingtonpost.com
December 28, 2025 at 1:10 PM
Our Brigitte Bardot obituary. www.washingtonpost.com/obituaries/2...
On CBS, it was still the Kennedy Center Honors www.washingtonpost.com/style/2025/1...
On CBS, it was still the Kennedy Center Honors
The network kept the Kennedy Center’s original name in its broadcast, and CBS News instructed staff to do the same, an email shows.
www.washingtonpost.com
December 24, 2025 at 4:00 AM
On CBS, it was still the Kennedy Center Honors www.washingtonpost.com/style/2025/1...
U.S. 250th anniversary coins won’t feature any Black Americans or notable women, after Trump admin ignored initial recommendations www.washingtonpost.com/nation/inter...
U.S. anniversary coins won’t feature any Black Americans or notable women
The Trump administration has scraped plans for coins honoring Frederick Douglass and Ruby Bridges opting for all Whites to celebrate the country’s 250th birthday.
www.washingtonpost.com
December 21, 2025 at 4:06 PM
U.S. 250th anniversary coins won’t feature any Black Americans or notable women, after Trump admin ignored initial recommendations www.washingtonpost.com/nation/inter...
In our Sunday section: Some monuments actually worth editing.
December 21, 2025 at 3:12 PM
In our Sunday section: Some monuments actually worth editing.