Orange mayor cancels Queen tribute concert, faces legal challenge

The municipality of Orange in southern France cancelled a planned tribute concert to the rock band Queen, titled “Queen Forever,” that was to be held on 4 September 2026 at the town’s ancient theater. The free event, organized by producer David Hardit of DH Management, would have brought together nearly a thousand amateur choristers from across France alongside professional musicians and singer Mickey Callisto. A contract worth about €40‑41 k had been approved by the previous mayor.

New mayor Jean‑Dominique Artaud of the RN party justified the cancellation on budgetary grounds, citing a €300 k expense related to a long‑standing stone blockage on a city road despite the town’s reported €11 m surplus. Hardit argues the decision causes a €100 k financial loss for participants who have already booked travel and accommodation, and he offered to stage the concert free of charge. He has filed an urgent appeal before the administrative court in Nîmes, with a hearing scheduled for 27 July 2026.

The dispute highlights tensions between local cultural programming and the financial priorities of newly elected municipal leaders, and it follows a similar RN‑led cancellation of a theater production in Castres earlier in 2026.