Cancellation of Tour Financial Loss For Rieu

Cancellation of Tour Financial Loss For Rieu: "It's Bad"

L1 Limburg, Sem Caelen -The fact that André Rieu had to put an end to his American tour after only one concert, is a great discomfort for the Maastricht citizen.

"We are looking at whether we can make it financially," said Rieu during a broadcast TV show Sunday evening.

Corona Measures

Rieu canceled the rest of the United States tour right after his Tampa concert in Florida. Eight more concerts were planned in different cities, but due to measures announced by President Donald Trump regarding the corona virus, the stand-alone violinist was forced to return to Europe.

Intermission

"Just before the concert it became clear how the situation was," says Rieu in the program with Ivo Niehe (TV personality and presenter). "Pierre said then: "Keep in mind that this is the first concert. During the break, Trump addressed the nation and said: "Do not go to events." During the break I already knew: "Everyone had to go home." My first concern was that I am there with 110 people and I am responsible for them."

No Compassion

Son Pierre indicates that that places them in a financial situation. "Everything has been booked: hotels, flights, containers, equipment. Through the cancellation, we're sending everything home and them having to send everything back here. But the hotels are not going to give us our money back. Same with the shipping agents, and I don't think they feel sorry for us."

It was previously indicated that new dates for the canceled concerts are being sought and that the tickets for the canceled concerts will remain valid.

Heavy

"I hope the government is a bit lenient towards the entrepreneurs in the Netherlands," says the orchestra leader himself. "Because it is severe, I can tell you that." Father and son Rieu are not making any statements about the exact amount of the losses."

Maastricht 2020
It is still unclear whether the twelve open-air concerts will take place in July on the Vrijthof in Maastricht. "It is still too early to make any statements about this. The most important thing is that we stay healthy,” says Pierre Rieu.

Thanks to John for the Translation and Ineke for article