Ukrainian orchestra’s key members denied UK visas, causing costly ‘catastrophe’ worth more than £88k. Helen Pidd has the details.
Key members of a Ukrainian state orchestra were refused visas to play a series of concerts in the UK this month in a “catastrophe” that the promoter claims cost it more than €100,000 (£88,000).
The Khmelnitsky Orchestra was due to tour the UK this month with two shows: The Magical Music of Harry Potter, and The Music From the Lord of the Rings, The Hobbit and The Rings of Power.
The shows had been promoted on the UK government website as an example of British-Ukrainian relations. After the orchestra played the Harry Potter show in Belgium last year, the deputy British ambassador in Brussels, Chloe Louter, hailed it as “an incredible honour to have such an iconic part of British culture being performed by a Ukrainian orchestra”.
The promoter, Star Entertainment, has accused the UK government of hypocrisy...Keep reading on The Guardian.
Key members of a Ukrainian state orchestra were refused visas to play a series of concerts in the UK this month in a “catastrophe” that the promoter claims cost it more than €100,000 (£88,000).
The Khmelnitsky Orchestra was due to tour the UK this month with two shows: The Magical Music of Harry Potter, and The Music From the Lord of the Rings, The Hobbit and The Rings of Power.
The shows had been promoted on the UK government website as an example of British-Ukrainian relations. After the orchestra played the Harry Potter show in Belgium last year, the deputy British ambassador in Brussels, Chloe Louter, hailed it as “an incredible honour to have such an iconic part of British culture being performed by a Ukrainian orchestra”.
The promoter, Star Entertainment, has accused the UK government of hypocrisy...Keep reading on The Guardian.