Deborah Rutter to be Keynote Speaker at Opera Conference 2025

Opera AMERICA has announced that Deborah F. Rutter, the former president of the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts is set to be the Keynote Speaker for the Opera Conference 2025.Rutter was the first woman president of the Kennedy Center, holding the position from 2014 through 2025.

Rutter was ousted as President Donald Trump took over the institution and appointed his own group of loyalists to the Board.“I’m really, really, really sad about what happens to our artists, what happens on our stages and our staff who support them. The Kennedy Center is meant to be a beacon for the arts in all of America across the country,” Rutter said after her ousting.



“And we have worked so hard and accomplished so much over this last decade to really broaden the programming, to invite all manner of arts and artists to our stages. And we’ve expanded our audience as a result. I pray that that can be sustained.

But that’s my biggest concern.”Opera Conference 2025 will take place from May 20-23, 2025 in Memphis.Read Related StoriesDeborah Rutter Speaks Out Regarding Ousting from Trump’s Kennedy CenterThe Kennedy Center Leadership in Chaos Following Firing of President & Resignation of National Symphony Orchestra Artistic AdvisorDonald Trump To Appoint Himself Board Chairman of Kennedy Center Amid Major Changes for Arts InstitutionThe post Deborah Rutter to be Keynote Speaker at Opera Conference 2025 appeared first on OperaWire.

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