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André Rieu Thirty Year Anniversary
Algemeen Dagblad Newspaper
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He has been around for a while and has gotten used to quite a few things, but still the chills run up and down André Rieu’s back when he hears his new sales figures. He has sold millions of CD’s and DVD’s all over the world. "The euphoric feeling I had when I experienced my breakthrough in 1994 with 'Strauss and Co' and the 'Second Waltz', is the same feeling I get when I hear that in Australia more of my records have been broken." If it had not been but for a few days, André Léon Marie Nicolas Rieu would have been born as an Amsterdam citizen. But a few days after his parents had moved to Maastricht, he was born on October 1, 1949. Two sisters were already there, and after André two more brothers and a sister arrived.

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From the very beginning music was very important in Rieu’s life. His father, André Rieu senior is amongst others, conductor of the Limburg Symphony Orchestra. The children grow up with classical music, symphonies, chamber music and opera. Rieu starts his violin lessons when he is five years old. Besides violin he plays piano, recorder and sings in the Saint Servaas church choir. Rieu considers the choir as an important learning platform. "I am convinced that the midnight Masses at Christmas and the Servaas processions were the foundation of my romantic approach to music. The beautifully decorated, filled to the brim church, the angel statues, the red habit with white surplice, these made a deep impression on me."

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After his school completion and for some time, Rieu is considering doing something in the architectural field. Building and technique are his hobby. After school he visits carpenters, bricklayers and roofers. He hammered cabinets, erected walls, built a full bathroom, including a well and garden house, and enthusiastically draws all possible buildings. Just like his brothers and sisters, Rieu ends up in the music, although the building and drawing continue to maintain a special interest. He is still very much involved in all his décor designs. The Schönnbrunn Castle design, with which he traveled over the world in 2008, is one of his most known examples.
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Shortly after the completion of his studies at the conservatorium in Brussels, he lands in a small salon orchestra. There he is exposed to Léhar’s, 'Silver and Gold'. This waltz makes a great impression upon him. "It was as if I entered into a new world. What a discovery as to how to play a waltz. During my studies I was never involved in this sort of music. I thought it was wonderful." Rieu is a violinist in the Limburg Symphony Orchestra, but he noticed how deeply the waltz has touched him. This is what he wants. He decides to go on with it, together with a few who think the same as he does.
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It is 1978 and the beginning of the five member Maastricht Salon Orchestra, Rieu’s first orchestra. The orchestra plays in homes for the elderly – it is all about making music – and in that circuit becomes a real hit. After the homes for the elderly, the next step is towards the theaters and concert halls. Rieu has to do his exceptional best in order to be noticed by the program directors. He sees the use of a record as an ideal manner in which to achieve this. But to cut records costs money and the Maastricht Salon Orchestra does not yet have the notoriety so that record companies come knocking at their door. All five orchestra members are making lists with the names of family, friends and acquaintances who might want to buy a record. If every orchestra member sells fifty records and several are sold during their concerts, the group could scrape up enough to cover the costs. (14,000 Guilders) A thousand records are created in the first production. As hot rolls they fly across the counter. There will be fifteen more additional reissues of "Rendez~Vous".
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After having traveled around with continued success, Rieu had the feeling that more could be achieved. He just does not exactly know what. "I detected a growing discontentedness in myself" he says. "I was making a living as violinist in the Limburg Symphony Orchestra and found the repertoire very nice and interesting, but the atmosphere where the concerts were conducted bothered me. There was not much happening between the orchestra and the public. There was no contact, something we did have with the Maastricht Salon Orchestra.

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"Being an entrepreneur is for a musician quite unique. Making money by playing music is being viewed by the subsidized classical circles as something dirty. I find that bizarre." Commerce is important and not a dirty word, according to Rieu. Making a living, you can do that best if your heart is in it and you enjoy it. In 1987 he decided after a lengthy discussion with his wife Marjorie, to start for himself with the Johann Strauss Orchestra employing twelve musicians and bring André Rieu Production into operation. Now he can organize everything himself, without having to depend on others, without a boss who tells him what needs to be done and what he can or cannot play. The risks are not small, he will not receive any subsidies since he is not "innovative", and at the moment is neither interested in sponsors. In the beginning of the 90’s he almost goes bankrupt when he energetically buys a very expensive sound system. And also again in 2008 with a turnover of more than 50 million Euros, the red figures are being noted, the costs for the Australian tour are higher than the profits. But that also turns out alright. André Rieu’s brand is very strong.
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"Entrepreneurship is extremely exiting" says Rieu. "Sometimes you miss your objective, but that is the risk you take. All this tension is healthy. Thus it is never routine, you always try new avenues and develop yourself. Every time it is trying it out, feeling it out whether it succeeds or not. I do that together with Marjorie. She is my most important sounding board and has an infallible feeling whether something will work or not. I would not know what to do without her. Every new thing, every new trial is again a lesson." And in thirty years, Rieu has tried a lot of things, and has learned a lot of lessons. "I have never gone off half cocked. I think we did try once what the effect would be if there was no lighting in the hall. "Well, I tell you, the times that I tried that did not turn out too well. I want light; I want to see the hall."
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Apart from that, he does not think about the thirty years for a moment. Actually he does not feel much towards that, a jubilee. "The sad thing is that people often think that everything comes to a halt after that. But that is not about to happen. I will continue on for a long time with just as much pleasure as I had then and I have now. This success, and the dream, he has worked very hard for and he would like to emphasize that. It did not come to that all by itself. Sure, he was lucky at the proper moments, but luck is also something you can force upon yourself too. "I have known resistance and disappointment. No one took me or my ideas about music serious. TV producers and record makers laughed in my face. Classical musicians looked down upon me for years. With his Johann Strauss Orchestra, Rieu experiences great success and with the "popular classics" he gains ground in a large public, thanks to the performance of the three tenors (Pavarotti, Carreras and Domingo) at the 1990 world cup soccer. Rieu believes that because of that the time is ripe to go to Hilversum and try to get a foot hold with the broadcast companies and record makers. But doors remain closed: no interest, not interested, not this time, not commercial enough. Only the record company Phonogram, actually just one of the production managers, dares to give Rieu a try.

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In August 1994, the single "Second Waltz" is released. One month later the CD "Strauss and Co" follows. Phonogram sells 25,000 copies just before Christmas. The Netherlands falls like a brick for the "Second Waltz" due to an interview with Frits Spits on Radio 3. That’s when Rieu launches the by his son Marc thought out slogan "Not house, but Strauss." (The word "house" here is used in Dutch and means "a modern house of music", not a normal house) appears to be a stroke of genius. This single although a pure classical waltz enters the tip parade, flies into the hit parade and lands within a couple of weeks in the top ten. In between Marco Borsato, The Prodigy, 2 unlimited and Bon Jovi. The airing of the television concert "Strauss and Co" by TROS in November attracts an unlikely high number of viewers and receives the highest appreciation since the Dutch soccer team won the 1988 European championship. Says Rieu, "It was very exciting, the TV airing. When the TROS told us how huge the success was, I could hardly believe it. "Rieu is still filled with pride; 850.000 copies of "Strauss and Co" were sold in one year. No one in the Netherlands has ever achieved that. Yes, I am very proud of that, even today." As far as Rieu is concerned, the breakthrough in 1994 was the high light in his career. Not the high light in his life, those are the births of his sons Marc and Pierre and his three grandchildren.
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.A few years ago Pierre entered the management aspect of the Rieu Empire and is responsible for the organization of concerts and tours. Marc chose his own career in the arts as a painter. It has not always been easy for a family man like Rieu. The family cannot travel along everywhere. At least not in person. Rieu keeps his loved ones always close by framed on the table in his dressing room, or on the nightstand in his hotel room. "I miss them" he confessed during an interview while his sons were attending secondary school. "And they miss me. You don’t know how much crying goes on. But we do not complain. I am and always will be a good father, but I cannot be there all the time. If this had happened to me sooner, I would not have done it. We agreed that life will be like this for a little while. "That’s why I really enjoy being home, in Maastricht. I need to have a real home, a place where I can retreat into an oasis of peace with my wife, children and the dog."
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.After his breakthrough the high points follow each other in an increasing tempo. Another peculiarity of the last thirty years? The performance in 2006 in Vienna in front of Schönbrunn Castle was in the bosom of the Viennese Waltz. "You feel there an indescribable vibration. No, it was not emotional. I turn emotions off as much as I can. I do not have time for those during my performance. You present then your utmost best, and so there is no place for emotions. Before and afterwards, most certainly. His performance in Vienna was such a huge success that Rieu has been asked to return for at least three years "They asked me, a Dutch artist to Vienna! That is emotional and I live in my own dream. This is what I dreamed about thirty years ago and everything has become reality. Even more than that and that it would become such a world success, no one could ever have dreamt that. The contact with people, bringing music closer to the people, which was, and is Rieu’s motivation. "That is what it's all about, that’s my motive and it has become even stronger in the past few years."
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I’ve noticed the last few years. The pleasure I can give the people, the happiness that music brings them. That I can bring more happiness to the people when I play in a stadium than in a hall is evident." In performances I create an atmosphere where nice serious pieces belong. Timing is very important. With me people are allowed to laugh, but also cry with emotion. And I make jokes because classical music must leave its ivory tower." Also inside the orchestra this secret remains. He brings his orchestra emphatically into action, brings people into the spotlight, allows them the applause and lets them shine. The atmosphere on stage is relaxed, musicians are laughing amongst themselves, tell jokes and are obviously enjoying what they do.
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Rieu performs in stadiums and arenas, where on an average for one concert about ten thousand tickets are sold. Multiply that by 100 or 150 for one year. "If I had played in smaller venues during my tour in Australia, I would have needed six months to reach the same amount of people as I did with the stadium tour in a few weeks. It was just by accident that it turned out as large as it did. And in the meantime it has become so big that smaller simply cannot be done any more." But whether he plays in a smaller venue or in a stadium of 30,000, Rieu has the talent to make contact with everyone. "I hear and see everything. That is a sensitivity I have had all along. People in row 20 fall over in amazement when I tell them I saw them. The people feel that contact too, whether they are in the first row or sit way up in the rafters. That’s why I do it, for the people. Not for me. I do not stand there trying to be interesting in being a star with an attitude of "Look, here I am. On the contrary, that has always been a thorn in my side with many musicians. Besides, people see through that real soon. Just my sincerity and love for the music and the public appeals to the people."

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ANDRÉ RIEU

Born: Oct. 1st 1949 in Maastricht.

Education: Gymnasium B, Afterwards Conservatories in Liege, Maastricht and Brussels.

Career: Played in the Limburg Symphony Orchestra (1977-1989). Afterwards founded the Maastricht Salon Orchestra (1978-1987). and the Johann Strauss Orchestra (1978-present). His debut album "Rendez-Vous" from 1980 , was a success. The big break through came in 1994 with the Second Waltz by Dmitri Sjostakovitsj. In 2009 Rieu was in 6th place on the worldwide list of best selling artists, ahead of Britney Spears (7), Metallica(11) and Beyonce (12).

Private Life: Married to Marjorie since 1975, father of Pierre and Marc, grandfather of three.

Our Thanks To Ineke for sending this Newspaper Article and John for Translating it.

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A Lot of Fans Have Asked For The Lyrics to Adieu To Learn. 

Our Thanks to Al Girard For Sending them to us!!

(Click on the photo to bring it up full size)

André's First Concert in Australia ~ Nov. 13th in Melbourne!

Al (Girard) has traveled to Australia to see André and all in their World Tour! He has sent us some pictures of the first concert in Melbourne Thursday night by meeting with our friend Jann from the Aussie Fansite and sending them through her computer. André again makes our world so much smaller. :)

Below is a little of what Jann wrote about the First Concert on the Tour and her VERY FIRST LIVE CONCERT with André!

It was a brilliant opening night at Telstra Dome last night, started the night off meeting up with friends from Interstate and Overseas and matching faces to names. André and the Orchestra were in great spirit and treated us to their full ensemble of talents. Mirusia knocked us out in a magnificent red sparkling gown and was given a resounding "welcome home" applause for which we were rewarded with a raucous AUSSIE AUSSIE AUSSIE - OI OI OI - the audience loved it, but I have a sneaking suspicion that Mirusia loved it even more. To be on tour in her homeland for the first time and be so enthusiastically applauded would have been a tremendous emotional "high" for her. It was trieully fantastic to see the audience enthusiastically join in, there were so many couples up waltzing and down the front for the encores, it was like looking at a traffic jam, can you imagine what Saturday night is going to be like !!!! I have to admit however to being traumatised, "Banana's in Pyjama's" was fun BUT when they played the theme to "Neighbours" - well I fell off my perch !!! and sorry folks - no balloons, they will be there tonight and Saturday night. After the concert, our charming journalist from Channel 9 News ambushed me again by the fountain and again I found myself looking into a camera and microphone, how did I enjoy the concert? did I have a favourite during the concert? - still on a high, I blubbered between "everything" then "Bolero", back to "everything" and back to "Bolero". I have my fingers crossed I end up on the "cutting floor". Now it's time to get ready for Saturday ... Cheers, Jann

© ALL Photos On This Page Are The Property of Al Girard

Al's Concerts and Fan Dinners in Australia 2008

I know that Australia is high on nearly everyone's list of places they wish to visit. This was my seventh time in Australia, and my third in a year. My first trip there was in 1985. I have a lot of friends in that marvelous country, and the circle keeps growing. I'd been in both Telstra Dome and AAMI Stadium before as well.

On the evening of the first Melbourne concert I arrived early and met Jann and her hubby at the appointed place. It was nice to meet the person who had done such an amazing job with the Aussie fans website.

This was the third location that I would attend concerts on the World Stadium Tour. The castle in Toronto was the largest, but then again, Toronto's Rogers Center is a huge stadium. Telstra Dome
would fit inside Rogers Center.

The concerts that I attended in Amsterdam in July showed me that the castle was adjustable to stadium size. The castle in Toronto had six jumbo-trons, while the version in Amsterdam had four. Missing were the two vertical screens where only the image of André were shown. In Toronto and Amsterdam the two supporting pillars to the roof section over the orchestra were quite wide-probably more than four feet to a side, and they blocked the stage view of people who were sitting off at an angle.

The pillars in Melbourne were half that width, giving much better views for people off to the sides. There were other changes at Melbourne as well. Gone was Tanja, the cellist and in her place sat a different blond girl. Tough act to follow, but I thought she did an excellent job. A few others were not there either, and I spotted a few unfamiliar faces amongst the orchestra. The choir had six girls instead of the usual eight.

The skaters had a difficult task because rather than skating on ice they were skating on plastic since the ice would melt in the heat of the Australian summer. The four skaters who performed to "My Heart Will Go On" noticeably had a tough time on the plastic. They did not do throws at all. However the Australian Stars On Ice, the groups who waltzed on the two rinks did pretty well.

Both Gary Bennett and Mirusia were heartily applauded when they were introduced. Mirusia appeared on stage in a stunning red sequined gown that was on fire under the lights. She looked simply spectacular with her golden curls, silver necklace and the flaming gown. I noticed that Andre is not using her surname at all.

There were no balloons for Radetzky March, and when I asked a crew member about that, he said that there would be balloons the next two concerts because they were to be taped.

It was a great concert and the audience was really into it. I would
certainly say that the trip from Canada was a good idea.

After the concert I again met Jann and her hubby Murray. We got into their car and drove to their home where I uploaded all of my concert photos to Jann's computer. She then drove me to my hotel before she headed home. I got to bed at 2:30 am.

The next day around noon I phoned her. She sounded tired, so I asked her if I woke her up. She told me that she hadn't been to bed yet. She'd been working on the website all night!

The Friday concert was just as enjoyable, but playing to a much
larger audience.

Saturday was the fan dinner, and to say that Lyndall and Rob did an outstanding job is to do them an injustice. The work they did in decorating the facility was nothing short of amazing. There was a very good turnout for the function which was held at "The Fix", a first-class establishment about a kilometer from the Telstra Dome which was just across the water. Lyndall and Rob thought of everything, including hiring two busses which took us to the venue for the concert.

I had never seen a technical problem occur at an André Rieu concert, but the luck didn't hold as The Empress Sisi's microphone failed. Not a sound was heard as she sang the first few bars of her featured song "I Belong To Me". André stopped the music and both Suzan and André handled the situation in a most professional manner. André finally asked a technician to give Suzan a hand-held FM microphone so that she could finish the song. I'm sure that when the DVD is released we won't see that glitch. I'll bet they'll insert her singing from the previous evening.

Now to Adelaide. The fan gathering was at an absolutely beautiful home right at the edge of salt water. This time it was pot luck and once again the turnout was terrific. Once again Lyndall and Rob had done amazing preparation, and once again busses took us to the venue. Terribly diasppointing crowds, but appreciative nonetheless.
The support pillers were different here. They were the same size as
those in Melbourne, but they did not have the panels on them, so
one could see right through with just the black ribbing showing. I doubt anyone but me would have noticed that. I noticed, of course, since I had seen the other configurations, and my verdict is that the new pillers did not look out of place.

It was interesting to see the castle in the daylight of the outdoors.
Due to local regulations which dictated that the concert must end at 10:45 pm, the concerts began at 7:30 pm. One casualty of the lack of controlled lighting was the Mozart medly "A Little Night Music" because near the end of it there is a dreamy segment where the lights dim dramatically and the screens show stars. It's really a nice segment wich was beautiful in Melbourne but not visible in Adelaide. It was dark by the intermission, so once again the controlled lighting took over.

Dancers were up waltzing in great numbers at all of the Australian concerts for "The Blue Danube". I was up front for all of the Melbourne concerts, but chose not to go up front at Adelaide. I had great seats at all five concerts and had a truly memorable trip overall.

~ Al

André Will Be Back Next October 2009 in Australia!!

Return To

♦The Harmony Parlor With André Rieu

Aussie Friends Go To Theater Showing of André's Concert From Maastricht

Andreday, 18th July 2010
Report of their day from Val


Well, what a day we have had! Sad to think it has come and gone! Andreday, 18th July 2010, a date that seemed to take forever to arrive. A day, well worth waiting for.


Sixteen of us left our homes early this morning, with one aim in mind, to achieve “pole position” at the Cameo Theatre in Belgrave in the beautiful Dandenong Ranges. (Back row status!) However, the best laid plans can go awry as ours did! Theatre Management had changed their plan of attack following the queues that had surrounded Belgrave last October, when André was screened LIVE from Sydney, and had decided to open their doors RIEU-lly early. Not to worry though, as our seats were fine, if not a fair few rows closer to the front. Thankfully Cinema Management had provided us with their best theatre so there was plenty of room for everyone and fantastic “sound”!


Thanks to our forward scout Chris M, a booking had been made at the Reel Cafe (renamed the RIEU-L Cafe for the day) next door to the theatre, for an early coffee followed by a late lunch on completion of the concert. By this time, half of the group had taken over 16 seats in the theatre and had covered the seats with anything and everything, i.e. Andre scarves, coats, bags, etc. By 10.30 a.m. everyone had arrived and we quickly moved into position. Our seats were excellent and everyone could see (most important, when one is rather short!). “André” was up in lights on the big screen, advising us of the time left before transmission commenced.


The gorgeous Sammy from LIVE Entertainment graced us with her presence and proceeded to tell us what was in store for us (as if we didn’t know!!). A wonderful tour of Maastricht set the tone for what was to follow, and only served to whet the appetite for the intrepid travellers planning their Andre adventure for July 2011!The countdown was over and there HE was, marching, whistling, waving - magnificent!
The concert was fantastic. We loved it. Everything seemed to go according to Andre’s plan. Tonight, no fire backstage, no storm to create havoc, just marvellous music, singing, colour and Andre, at his best!


Sammy again appeared during Intermission and provided us with a wonderful interview with “our” gorgeous Mirusia, and then the second half began. André kept us amused as he organised the returning crowd, most of them battling to find their correct seat.


Too soon it was all over, and true to his word, André provided a wonderful, sparkling interview with Sammy, immediately after the concert had ended. We now look forward to October when he will be Down Under to visit us and once again, fill our lives with “magic”, bring it on!!

We look forward to the return of our wandering minstrels, Mrs. Ed, Helen & Richard and Val & Graham at the end of July when they will tell us all about their wonderful time in marvellous Maastricht (very similar to “marvellous Melbourne”!).


In the meantime, we have lots to look forward to, beginning with “Christmas in July” in Woodend at a Dutch Cafe, with “André on tap” on 29th July. In August, we look forward to sharing our Get-Together with Mother Superior on 25th August at The Knox Tavern. In October, on the 1st (André’s birthday!) we will spend the day at the wonderful Tesselaar’s Tulip Farm, and then it will be “Showtime” at Rod Laver Arena !!


Before ending my report, I would like to welcome Yvonne, who is going to join us at our August Get-together, and possibly Marie and Henry & Maria will come along too. I look forward to seeing you again soon and thank you so much for your support, encouragement and wonderful company, all thanks to the Maestro, André.


CheeRIEU ... love from Your Roving Reporter, Val

Some Christmas Photos With André

(Click on Photos to See Full Size)