Earlier this month, the board of what is now called the Trump Kennedy Center formally approved the president's plan to close the center for two years.

Meanwhile, the Washington National Opera, which is one of the center's largest arts organizations, had already announced that it was leaving.

That exit is one of the most consequential in a year full of turmoil.

Senior arts correspondent Jeffrey Brown reports for our Art in Action series, which

explores the intersection of art and democracy, part of our canvas coverage.

A rehearsal for The Crucible, a 1961 opera by Robert Ward, based on Arthur Miller's seminal

1953 play about the Salem witch trials.

Miller wrote it as a warning about injustice and mass hysteria in the McCarthy-era

anti-communist trials of his time.

Now, says Francesca Zambello, artistic director of the Washington National Opera, it has new relevance

for ours.

I think that everyone in this country, whatever side of the fence you're on, is certainly

wondering what is happening with our legal system,

what is happening with democracy?

Are the, is the Constitution still serving us today?

Is it serving us right now?

And our democracy is on trial now.

Few in the art world have been quite so caught up in the political maelstrom as the WNO

and Zambello, whom we met recently at the company's rehearsal studios in Washington.

Let's focus, everybody, okay? Great. Thank you.

Places for Top of Show, please.

Founded in 1956, now celebrating its 70th season, the opera company has performed at the

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