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André Rieu: When my wife drags me off the stage, I will stop!!
PRIVÉ July 3, 2012
André's first big interview after his illness ... The dizziness is still there.
►How are you doing?
Great. We performed in Germany and Denmark to
catch up with the postponed concerts. In the beginning I was very anxious,
because I did not know how fit I really was. I was nervous. But every concert
went better. I have lost six kilos by working out and I have a personal coach
who supports me and watches me. I am 62 and it is important that I stay fit. I
give so many concerts, that is top sport.
►You have a heavy schedule till the end of the year. Isn't that too
heavy?
Maybe, but for me a tour is like a holiday.
Everything is organized to details. I have a quiet breakfast in the morning, I
am sporting, studying, and then have a rest till the concert
starts.
►Was it necessary to lose
weight?
Yes, I gained a lot of weight. I did not work
out these past years and also I did not pay attention to what I ate. Now my
weight is 80 kilos. The problem was, the kilos were assembled around my belly
and the doctor said that is dangerous. That's why I work out every day now and I
do body building. My trainer accompanies me also when I give concerts. He is a
sportsman, but also a food expert.
►What does your diet look
like?
Less carbohydrates, only whole meal bread and
lean meat. No sweets at all and I am very fond of pastry and desserts. It's a
pity, but it's the past. I still drink a glass of good wine, but not every night
any more. When I fell ill, I was entirely checked in the hospital. I am not ill, but the attacks of dizziness
will always remain. My body was too weak and it gives me signs as soon as I am
working too hard.
►Do you fear a repeat?
Sure. I was ill twice now and I hope to avoid
it for a third time. Music is my life. The best of my life is conducting my
orchestra. I don't want to take the risk of getting ill for a third time. I do
everything to avoid that.
►Is it caused by troublesome
Tinnitus?
In 2010 I had a virus on my equilibrium, which
caused balance disorders. The last time I was entirely overworked. They call
that a burn out. Once you have had Tinnitus, it will always remain a weak spot.
When I was overtired, I got balance disorders again.
►To suffer from Tinnitus must be terrible for a
musician.
Yes, but fortunately I can hear very sharp. I
have no medication, I just sport and rest, that is
sufficient.
►Does your wife Marjorie join you on
tours?
Only on European tours. She has a fear of
flying, so she will not be in Brazil.
►What did she mean to you when you were ill? Was she able to support
you?
She supported me every moment. I was home and
from the very beginning she said: "Whatever happens, we love you". But I am
disciplined and have an iron will. I am demanding to people around me, but also
to myself. Also when it comes to my health.
►Did
Marjorie have a vote in taking a personal
coach?
No, that was not necessary. I did that myself.
Something had to happen. I had to switch a button and start up again. Her
unconditional love helped me a lot, her all time
support.
►Does it
also mean a change in her way of
cooking?
Actually I cook more often than Marjorie,
especially Italian food. I make pizzas myself and also Dutch food. In the winter
I prefer the endives stew, but I can also cook more refined
dishes.
►Did your sons help you with your
recovery?
Oh, yes, for sure. They took things over and
supported me. That's why I could rest. They were very concerned about me. Nobody
had a clue how long it would last. But finally I cured quite
soon.
►Do you
feel more secure with your personal coach
around?
Certainly yes. He immediately recognizes
signals when something seems to go wrong.
►Which is the country you look forward to most of
all?
Brazil. I have a lot of fans there. I lived
there for six months, so I am familiar with the country. I also love New York
and Sydney. But I love Maastricht above all. It's my home, I was born there and
probably I will die there. I never go on holiday. On my days off I prefer to sit
in my garden with Marjorie.
►It is claimed that you have a fairy tale marriage. Is that
true?
In a certain way, yes. People might ask how it
is possible since I am gone so much. but I think because of that it works so
well. We call each other five or six times a day, sometimes even ten times. We
discuss everything. I am convinced that communication is the most important
thing in a relation. We communicate excellent!
►Is Marjorie never jealous on all those girls lying to your
feet?
No, she trusts me and she knows it's all part
of the show. She does not like to be in the public, she does not like red
carpets. I am no party-animal either.
►I bet you can sometimes find women in front of your hotel
room.
Oh yes, but I leave them there. After a concert
I need my rest and I only drink a glass of wine with the orchestra. Afterwards I
go to bed, to stay fit.
►Did you ever find a woman in your hotel bed, passionately waiting
for you?
No, I have not yet experienced such a thing. We have a lot of security people around, so that will never happen. Of course I enjoy when women like me, without my fans I would be nothing. I realize that very well. But my wife and I have been together for such a long time. We know each other very well and she knows that I am faithful to her.
No, I have not yet experienced such a thing. We have a lot of security people around, so that will never happen. Of course I enjoy when women like me, without my fans I would be nothing. I realize that very well. But my wife and I have been together for such a long time. We know each other very well and she knows that I am faithful to her.
►Have you ever been threatened by
fans?
No, most of my fans are involved with music.
Very seldom one is misbehaving. Once I was followed to my house, but my security
men accompanied me until I drove into my parking garage, and that was
it.
►What is the secret of your fantastic
marriage?
Love and respect. We have never lost the
respect for each other. Not only do we live as man and wife, we also have a
business and work together. We make the concert program, we think about matching
guests for the encores. When I am on tour and Marjorie does not join us, she
works at the office to keep things going. We are a great team, whether we walk
the dog in the morning (yes, in the article is
"dog" in singular!), we
work together at the office, or we are cooking together.
Our son
Pierre lives two houses next to us and I go there for a short visit every day to
see the granddaughters. They are the sunshine of our house. Marjorie and I love
being grandparents.
►Has there never been a crisis in all those
years?
No. Of course we sometimes have an issue, like
every couple has. But from me, no bad word about my wife, she is my better half.
She is the strong woman behind me and my success. Without her I would have been
nothing and probably be on the streets.
►Why on the streets?
When I started a long time ago, I played in a
salon orchestra. Marjorie knew that I wished to have an orchestra of my own, but
we had no money at all. She said: "Okay, then I'll find a fulltime job and you
try to make your dream come true". Times were tough, we had hardly any money,
but she made me succeed to start my own orchestra. Only for this I'll love her
forever!
►Could you imagine a life without
performances?
No. I did not give myself any limitations. I'd
like to become 120 years old and I'd like to continue until my wife will drag me
off the stage. Until she says: "Now it's been enough. You look like crazy. Now
it's done". This will only happen in the case that I cannot speak my speeches
any more or I cannot play the violin any more. We know you should stop at the
moment your career is still successful, for then you'll leave a legacy of nice
memories.
►It is claimed that music has healing
powers.
I am convinced of that. We receive a lot of
letters by people in care centers. They thank us and tell that the music helped
them. Even people who were in a coma, woke up by my music. A doctor in the USA
purchased piles of my CDs and DVDs to play in the hospital where he worked. He
determined that his patients became happier and healthier. Music effects the
mind and the mind effects the body.
►Did someone thank you for having rescued his
life?
More than once. They tell me such after the
concerts. It is wonderful that music has such effects. There are unbelievable
stories about the consolation music can give to people.
►Do you have an example?
There was a woman in Brussels who lived her
last days. Her last wish was to attend a concert of mine. She was in a hospital
bed and could watch the concert from the bed. After the concert I personally
greeted her. She was so happy, she radiated joy. After a few days I got the
message that she died. That touched me very much. We try to cooperate with
institutions like "Make a wish", but of course we cannot fulfill every wish. The
death of the Brussels woman touched me so much, that I also realized I could not
cope with that too often. For me those emotions are too heavy a
burden.
►It is hard to imagine André Rieu without a violin. Would you like
to take your instrument on you final
journey?
No, I won't. The violin is very important to me
and I feel honored being able to play a Stradivarius, but I see myself as a
caretaker of the violin, to pass it on to another talent later. Most important
in my life is not my violin, but my family, they come
first.
►Who is going to inherit your
violin?
That is not yet determined. My first Stradi I
gave to an Asian girl, a big talent!
►What would be written on your burial
stone?
That is hard to say. My motto for life is:
"Don't dream your life, but live your dream".
►You were in financial problems due to your burn out. How is the
situation now?
At the end of 2008 we still were in debt. But
2009 and 2010 were fantastic years and everything is okay now. At the time we
had to sell a lot of stuff, but now we are out of the
problems.
►If you could make a wish, what would you
wish?
Health, love and happiness for all of my
family.
►Would you like to be young
again?
No, I am happy as I am. Of course I hope my
health will continue. Success is for me is really of less
importance.
►What were the toughest moments of your
life?
My depressions touched me very much. They
changed me. Now I can better delegate. I don't want to do anything by myself any
more. Pierre took over a lot. I realize that I need more moments of rest. And
nowadays I am taking these moments of rest.
►Do you have a dream for the
future?
Yes, that everything will go on the way it is
...
Thank you to Ineke for her Translation of this Article!
