French countertenor Philippe Jaroussky was scheduled to perform with his baroque ensemble Artaserse for five dates in the United States and Canada starting on Saturday, April 25. Unfortunately, a visa issue forced him to cancel this North American tour.
“To all baroque music lovers in Boston, San Diego, Seattle, Vancouver, and Quebec, it is with a heavy heart that I announce the cancellation of my North American tour ‘Gelosia!’ with my dear ensemble Artaserse due to work visa problems. We will do our best to reschedule it! Thank you for your understanding and support!” This message was shared by Jaroussky on social media to inform about the canceled concerts in the US and Canada.
This mini-tour of five dates was supposed to take him, accompanied by the Artaserse ensemble he founded in 2002, to the United States for the Early Music Festival in Cambridge (Boston) on April 25, then to San Diego on the 28th, Seattle on the 30th, before heading to Canada for two concerts in Vancouver on May 1 and Quebec on May 4. The five venues posted on their websites that despite considerable efforts made by the organizers, they could not resolve Jaroussky’s visa issue and are working with his team to find new dates.
Philippe Jaroussky is not the only classical musician facing visa problems in the United States. During this tour, he and his ensemble were set to perform pieces from their album “Gelosia!” (Jealousy), released by Erato – Warner Classics in 2025, to celebrate his 25-year career. The album features great works of the Italian baroque repertoire by Scarlatti, Vivaldi, Porpora, Galuppi, and six compositions by Handel.
These administrative constraints in the US are not limited to classical artists. Recently, Julien Doré also had to cancel a North American tour of five dates in April/May due to visa issuance problems. The French singer expressed his frustration with the bureaucracy involved in these processes.
Concerns about visa issuance have affected other classical artists and even non-classical musicians, demonstrating the challenges faced by performers navigating the US immigration system.
By Philippe Gault
[Context: Philippe Jaroussky, a renowned countertenor, faced visa issues that led to the cancellation of his North American tour with his ensemble Artaserse. This is part of a broader trend affecting musicians seeking to perform in the US.]
[Fact Check: The content accurately reports on the cancellation of Philippe Jaroussky’s tour due to visa problems and mentions similar cases involving other musicians like the National Philharmonic Orchestra of Moravia.]
