Daniil Trifonov cannot get into England

Daniil Trifonov cannot get into England

News

norman lebrecht

October 31, 2023

The US-based Russian pianist has not managed to get a visa all year to fulfil his UK engagements.

No-one is saying what’s really going on, least of all his agents, Opus 3.

Comments

  • V.Lind says:

    Is there a policy on Russians? Or is it down to individual organisations to lobby for or against, and what in any case do they have to do with visa-granting? (They can withdraw invitations, but that does not appear to be the case here). Is there a political test: what are your views on your country’s government, what do you think about the war in Ukraine, etc.?

    Does it affect Russians in sport, commerce, etc.? Tourists? Online shopping?

    After his experience in March re the Wigmore appearance,it seems unlikely his agents would have left the request late. So this definitely smells of political obstructionism.

    • Brettermeier says:

      “it seems unlikely” => “this definitely smells of political obstructionism”

      I mean, really?

    • mark(london) says:

      policy on Russians.. guess why ?

      • MD says:

        If one were to guess the reason, as you ask, one would conclude that the UK government holds a classical piano player to a higher standard than tennis players, obviously knowing that the decision to refuse a visa to the former would face a much smaller pushback. Whether that should be celebrated is matter of personal taste.

  • Alexander Hall says:

    Trifonov is appearing in Hamburg on November 1 & 2, playing Rachmaninov together with the Philadelphia Orchestra as part of their European tour (not appearing anywhere in the UK either). Germany is in the EU. The UK is not. Draw the obvious conclusion.

  • Bigfoot says:

    What is this, something like the 4th time post-pandemic that he’s had to cancel a UK concert due to visa issues? There’s some serious incompetence happening in an office or two somewhere.

    As long as he makes it to Santa Barbara next month, I’m happy. Can’t wait to hear his Hammerklavier.

  • Stop the bombs says:

    But Nikolai Lugansky can.

  • Kyle A Wiedmeyer says:

    I will say that they got one of the best (and somehow, most) violinists in the world to replace him in James Ehnes.

  • Elizabeth Owen says:

    Has he become and American citizen now? If so what’s the official problem?

  • Mastercard® says:

    Hopefully it will be resolved for DT’s engagements in Nottingham and London in May 2024.

    • Not a musician says:

      I hoped so after the first two cancellations. Now, after the third one, I’m not so sure. Apparently the Home Office considers him “undeserving”. Grigory Sokolov has refused to come to the UK for many years exactly because of the burdensome and humiliating visa procedure. Never mind, I can go to Europe to listen to both of then

  • Annabelle Weidenfeld says:

    Yes the situation is totally unacceptable and has meant his cancellations of a concert at the Festival Hall with the LPO and recital with Sergei Babayan last March, a Barbican recital last June, a Prom last July and now this November concert. He has a green card and has been living in the US for over a decade. He is most certainly not a Putin crony. His parents live in Moscow. Multiple- entry visas, necessary for his schedule here, and previously granted, are not even considered. Apart from the evident Russian problem, it sounds as though there is a great deal of inefficiency at the Home Office as we heard that Lugansky was informed that his visa application had been denied two months after his concert here should have taken place! This has to be brought up in parliament. The Home Office must explain this unreasonable attitude to totally innocent Russian artists. A campaign must be launched.

    • Mark Shane says:

      Uh No ..no special treatment for so called ‘artists ‘ Be it Putin cronies like Gergiev or those undeclared and certainly shouldnt expect a whole year visa.

      • MD says:

        If that is the general feeling, all of these “so called ‘artists’ ” should make a point of withdrawing their visa applications and never come back to the UK ever again.

  • Mark Shane says:

    tough.. cant expect a year
    ..no special treatment

  • Demi Vibrato says:

    I sincerely doubt that this has anything to do with Trifonov’s origins. There are plenty of Russian performers who have gone to the UK during this time with no issues whatsoever.

    I wouldn’t be surprised if the fault lies with his SFC owned management, who have not been getting visa applications in on time and don’t have the Home Office connections to approach when things go wrong.

    I’m honestly starting to think there are no good agencies left in the US.

  • Michael Cattermole says:

    Mr Trifonov was due to give the UK premiere of Mason Bate’s piano concerto at the Proms this year, but this was one of the cancelled performances – it will be great if he gets to fulfil this task at some point in the near future, as the concerto is an interesting and, dare I say, enjoyable work.

  • Sue Sonata Form says:

    The Triff should head there in a rubber dinghy; no problems, and accommodation courtesy of the taxpayer in a nice hotel.
    You know it makes sense!!

    • Enough already says:

      A distasteful but unsurprising attempt at a joke from far right Sue at the expense of refugees who have often lost their homes, their families and their livelihoods. The comment should be removed.

  • Dementer says:

    Can’t he and Ron just take the flying car to get there just like they did from London to Hogwarts?

  • Simpson says:

    Anyone who has ever dealt with UK consulates and their visa bureaucracy knows how horrible these are. I have. It is beyond slow and impossible to expedite or accommodate a reasonable request. There is nothing about national origin or other things people speculate about. It is the archaic and terrible bureaucracy. Avoiding the UK would be a wise choice just to avoid dealing with its consulates and visa processing.

  • Neil says:

    Daniil was scheduled to play Brahms 1 with the Philharmonia in a couple of weeks time. I was planning to go. Second half is Prokofiev 6 for with Paavo Jarvi.

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