André Rieu UK Concerts Photo Show

Adele and Friends at Their UK Concerts

Here is a Photoshow of my UK Concerts. I was able to fulfill a long standing dream, of waltzing to the Blue Danube with my Uncle at an André Rieu concert.

With grateful thanks to the UK fans, Hetty, Carole, Steph, Mary, Gill & my friend Doro from Münster Germany for the use of some of their lovely photos ... ►http://www.photoshow.com/watch/ZN5Km3gb 

Ciao from Italy, Adele

André Rieu Presenter on Logies Tonight

Don’t forget to watch the Logies tonight Ch 9 from 7.30. Guess who is a presenter?!?

Links for articles about André and/or The Seekers.
►https://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fblogs.abc.net.au%2Ffiles%2Fseekers-for-blog-use.mp3&h=afecc

►https://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fau.news.yahoo.com%2Fthewest%2Fentertainment%2Fa%2F-%2Fentertainment%2F9264339%2Fbournes-ultimatum%2F&h=afecc

►https://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.heraldsun.com.au%2Fipad%2Fnationalfeatures%2Fandre-rieu-my-maastricht%2Fstory-fn6cc1m7-1226042693159&h=afecc

►https://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.3aw.com.au%2Fovernight&h=afecc

With all these articles coming through it must nearly time!

Football Games on BOTH nights of the Sydney Concerts at ANZ Stadium. I just checked the ANZ Stadium's calender. Games on for both nights. Gates to the Stadium open at 5.15 and games start at 7.30. SO BE MINDFUL OF PARKING and TRAINS!

Enjoy the journey everyone RIEU-gards, Margaret

Frank Steijns to Play Carillon for Queen

Queen To Attend Premier Mobile Carillon in Weert 

Carillon player Frank Steijns felt miserable when his mobile carillon in 2009 was stolen. Queen Beatrix will be the first one to hear the sound of his new carillon tomorrow.

He is already imagining how Queen Beatrix at the end of her tour through Weert tomorrow will enter the Market at the Martinus church, and is being welcomed by the warm sounds of the carillon. But this time the sound will not come from above, from the carillon up high in the church tower. No, now carillon player Frank Steijns (40) has both feet firmly planted on the ground while playing his mobile carillon.

This instrument will thus be experiencing its premier since its predecessor was stolen from a storage shed in 2009 in Maastricht. It was the instrument with which André Rieu travelled seventy thousand kilometers all over the world during his World tour. (Steins is a violinist in Rieu’s orchestra) After the theft Steins was desperate. A very generous award did not generate any leads. It did cost him lots of money since he also was forced to cancel concerts. The very reason he wanted a new carillon. It is here now and according to Steijns it sounds like a charm. That was made possible through his foundation "Cloche’ Art" which also supports educational projects. And the instruments were manufactured "locally". The frame was manufactured in Nederweert and the wood hails from a carpenter from Maastricht.

Queen Beatrix will be at the premier tomorrow and she will be among the first to hear the sounds of the carillon. It is a great opportunity for Steijns when he, together with the brass bands can produce music and also bring his instrument to the attention of all the Dutch people. "In this manner I try to promote the carillon culture in the region. This carillon player of the Martinus church is the pride of Weert, and is literally considered to be of high cultural standings. With this carillon I am somewhat closer to earth".

This carillon weighs approximately 1600 kilo’s (3520 lbs), but according to Steijns still the smallest one in the world. And it is ingenious: you can customize the carillon as necessary into the space where it needs to be placed. You can compare it to Lego’s which you can place side by side but also on top of each other. It looks like an erector set.

That he has "the honor" to play for the Queen; he considers that to be "very nice". Although it is not the very first time that he has played the carillon in the presence of Her Majesty: that he did earlier in the caves of Valkenburg, together with André Rieu. "We will go all out and play all the bells and whistles".

Article written by Ruud Maas
Thanks to John for this article and the ©Translation of it 

Interview With The Seekers

Interview Today With The Seekers

April 28, 2011 by Erin Mathews
The Seekers hold an amazing place in history - they were the first group to reach number one on the British and US music charts. And they're still going, about to embark on a tour with classical superstar André Rieu. Judith Durham and Keith Potger popped in for an intimate chat with Lindy about their careers and about how lucky they feel to still be performing. ►http://blogs.abc.net.au/files/seekers-for-blog-use.mp3

Review: Dancing in The Aisles to André Rieu

London Dancing in The Aisles to André Rieu

Review by John Evans editor of Classic FM Magazine since 2000

Photo by Jenny Wilkinson

There was dancing in the aisles last week when multi-million-selling waltz king André Rieu brought his orchestra to the O2 in London. It was the Dutch violinist’s second stop on his UK tour, rescheduled following the nerve problems he suffered late last year.

The 20,000-strong audience was treated to Rieu’s trademark mix of Viennese waltzes and opera arias, the maestro himself playing and conducting, and providing a light-hearted commentary between numbers that prompted gales of laughter and applause throughout the evening.

Although the O2 could easily have accommodated it, there was no sign of the huge mock Viennese palace and 200-strong dancers Rieu toured the world with last year. In its place, at the back of the O2 stage, was a large video screen depicting images of Vienna and the Austrian countryside, flanked by two screens showing close-ups of the ecstatic audience. These added to the general jollity when, as audience members spotted themselves on screen, they’d wave frantically, prompting applause and laughter from all around.

The fun didn’t stop there. Rieu likes his players to enjoy themselves so there was lots of pantomime face-pulling and winking among the ranks displayed on the screens. Biggest culprits here were the brass players who at one point put down their instruments and passed around a dark green bottle filled with what all we liked to believe was a powerful Austrian brew. Rieu wrapped up the gag with a suitably vexed and headmasterly expression. He used the same technique to put down late-comers after the interval, demanding to know ‘is there only one toilet?’

The maestro’s between-works patter was well judged. Among the flattering references to ‘my great London audience’, was a welcome sprinkling of self-deprecation such as a story about sitting in his small car many years ago with his wife. ‘Things happened…’ was all he would say. Our minds were left to wonder exactly what as the orchestra began playing Ballade for Adeline, made famous by Richard Clayderman. Rieu’s timing was good, too. Few conductors can deploy a raised eyebrow as witheringly and as comically.

Throughout the evening he was joined on stage by a succession of house-soloists including the Three Tenors (with your eyes half-closed they look eerily close to the real thing) and, highlight of the evening, South African soprano Kimmy Scota singing Vilja-Lied from Franz Lehar’s The Merry Widow.

Finally, the audience got their chance to shine when Rieu summoned up his signature work, On the Beautiful Blue Danube. In a moment the O2 was filled with 10,000 waltzing couples. They’re probably still dancing their way through Docklands.

Two Australian Radio Interviews With André Rieu

Two Interview's in The Past Few Days With André

ONE: In an exclusive interview, Ian Maurice is joined by violinist, conductor, and composer, André Rieu. After having to cancel his Australian Tour last year, the iconic musician joins Ian Maurice to discuss his health, his new album and his upcoming tour of Australia ... Click link to listen: ►http://www.4bc.com.au/blogs/4bc-blog/andre-rieu-on-4bc/20110425-1dtkg.html

TWO: Most of Melbourne was asleep at 4:30 this morning, but not overnight host Keith McGowan and violinist Andre Rieu. Replay this entertaining interview with one of the world's most talented musicians.
►http://www.3aw.com.au/displayPopUpPlayerAction.action?&url=http://media.mytalk.com.au/3AW/AUDIO/190411_andre.mp3

André Rieu My Maastricht

André Rieu My Maastricht

MAASTRICHT is very, very important in my life. This is my home. I am travelling half the year around the world, every year, so coming home is one of the most beautiful things. I was born here, I live here and it's a beautiful city, but it's not too big. The luxury for me living in this Dutch city is that my studio is a 10 minute walk from my home, or five minutes when I drive.

There's a rich history to this town. The Romans founded Maastricht in 50BC so it is a rather old place, with a lot of old buildings. Maastricht was a "wanted" city over the years. But the Maastricht guys were very clever. We have a lot of rivers here so they had a whole system where they could open doors and flood the whole surroundings. They'd wait for the French to come and set up their tents and everything, then they'd open the doors and the French would be swimming all around. The old part of town is very rich in history and you can still see many of the buildings around that are hundreds of years old.

I live in a castle called De Torentjes, or Small Towers. It was built by a French duke, who was also a musician. Sometimes tourists come and see my home. They stand there and wait and when my wife, Marjorie, and I want to take the dogs for a walk, they are still there.

The building of De Torentjes started in 1452, with other parts added in 1600, 1700, 1800, and now I am building more. The oldest part of the castle is the kitchen, which is where the real D'Artagnan of The Three Musketeers fame is said to have had his last breakfast before he died in a battle serving Louis XIV.

There's an André Rieu River Cruise that goes down the river Maas, past my home. I hear them when the wind is good, or bad if that's what you think, and we can hear them say, "there is where André Rieu lives".

Tourists coming here to Maastricht is a good thing. Every year I play a massive concert with my Johann Strauss Orchestra in the main square, known as Vrijthof Square. Some 10,000 people sit there watching, all the hotels are full for eight evenings. So everybody is very happy with me but it is OK, I am happy with this city. The whole thing I love about Maastricht is it is so small but not too small that meeting each other and being here is a nice week of your life.

If you are in Maastricht for a day, just walk around and see the city. For me, I always like to get up bright and early. When I'm not on tour, I love to have a long breakfast at home in my garden. Then I'd go for a walk with my wife and our two dogs past the magnificent St Pietersberg caves, built in Roman times. After that I would walk to our most beautiful square of the Netherlands, the Vrijthof of Maastricht. I'd sit on the terrace of the iconic Vogelstruys restaurant, our oldest cafe in town and have a coffee and a Vlaai (a typical Limburg cake).

The advantage of Maastricht is that you have everything in walking distance. From the Vogelstruys I would go shopping in the Stockstraat district, where you can buy everything from local souvenirs to clothes from big-name chain stores or department outlets. Then afterwards I would go to the Bisschopsmolen, the oldest and only working water mill in the Netherlands. It has its own bakery and is a definite must if you come here.

Before heading home for an afternoon nap, I would enjoy a light lunch at the Kruisheren hotel, a beautiful hotel with delicious food. The Kruisherenhotel was once a 15th-century church. In the afternoon I'd go to the Bonefante Museum, our Museum of Archeology and Modern Arts, which is by the river Maas.

The best coffee in Maastricht is at Coffeelovers at the Dominicanenkerk. This is also a beautiful modern bookstore housed in an old church. I always enjoy dinner at local low key Italian restaurant Il Giardino, in the old part of town on the Onze Lieve Vrouweplein.

To close an evening in Maastricht, I'd enjoy a walk home along the ancient walls of the old city. Another option, of course, would be a beautiful performance at our Theater aan het Vrijthof.

Last but not least, if I didn't live in Maastricht myself, I would stay at the cozy boutique Derlon Hotel, where they have a Rieu Suite, in which one of my World Music Awards is kept.

The best time to visit Maastricht is in February and March during Carnival. You will see the most original costumes and painted faces. People prepare one year in advance for this and my son, Pierre, is a big fan.

Besides that, July is an excellent time to visit, since we have our traditional open-air concerts on the Vrijthof, together with all the surrounding cafes. This is a unique experience ....... Enjoy!

André Rieu's Celebration of Music tour will be at the Brisbane Entertainment Centre on May 18 and 19. Tickets on sale through Ticketek, www.ticketek.com.au ph 132 849.

Thanks to Mike, Margaret and Rob for sending us this.

André Rieu US and Canadian Ticket Sales

To All USA and Canadian Fans

The pre-sale of tickets for Andre's upcoming US/Canada tour for Gold Members and package pre-sale will start tomorrow, Tuesday April 26th, @ 10:00 AM EDT, through Ticket Master: ► www.ticketmaster.com ... Type in André Rieu at the top of the page and the full schedule will come up. General public sales of tickets will start Saturday April 30th @ 10:00 AM EDT. A couple of venues will have their general ticket sales start @ 11:00 AM EDT, so please check for the time first.
We wish you luck with your ticket purchases.

London Loves André Rieu at The O2!

ANDRÉ RIEU at the 02 London 20th April 2011 with Peter Weeks ... I don't think the 02 has ever seen the likes of this. From the start of "76 Trombones", through to the likes of "The Platin Tenors" and Mirusia and Kimmy the audience were spellbound. All the usual songs which was great to hear again and the newcomers would have thought, "Wow what a great show", as we old timers did.

During "The Snow Waltz", SNOW started to fall on the audience and most of it on me!! I was covered and I even got on the Big Screens. The bedroom this morning was covered in it. Strange the places it gets to!!!!!!

During the second half it came to "The Blue Danube" time and as soon as it started some of the audience were up dancing in the aisles. By the time it finished, it was a job to find room to dance. This went on through to "Radetzky March", "Strauss and Co" etc etc with more and more people up dancing and having a ball, balloons and all. After numerous encores he finally finished up with "We'll Meet Again", (the old Vera Lynn song) and the whole arena sang along to it.

I have been to 6 of his concerts and I would rate this as one of his best and it was a great privilege being there ... Peter Weeks

Thanks Peter for writing about your concert. In your few words, we see London loved André!

Review: André Rieu at UK Metro Radio Arena

Review: André Rieu at the Metro Radio Arena

Evening Chronicle April 20, 2011

Renowned musician Andre Rieu started his debut UK Arena tour in Newcastle last night. Tracy Jefferies was there and found the concert to be a night to remember.

WHILE the UK waits for the impending wedding of the year, royalty was in residence in the North East last night – musical royalty that is.

André Rieu arrived at the Metro Radio Arena amidst all the pomp and circumstance of a regal procession, walking through the audience to meet and greet his adoring public.

There's no doubt that this is a man with impeccable musical credentials who not only is a maestro in his own right, but also has the knack of discovering and bringing together talent from across the globe.

There are not many artistes who can pull together an evening's entertainment from so many diverse areas of music and yet turn them all into an absolute spectacle.

From the opening bars of Strauss's Voices of Spring through to his tribute to Michael Jackson with an utterly haunting version of Ben, this was a spellbinding evening which few of us attending are ever likely to forget.

It was something like a trip through musical styles; one minute this amazing orchestra playing a tango, the next the Viennese waltzes with the female musicians dressed in stunning crinolines.

Rieu has brought together performers from around the world, with musicians and singers from Hungary, Australia and South Africa and all points in between, sharing his love and his passion.

We were transported to a Rio carnival – complete with balloons falling from the roof – to the Skater's Waltz where so much artificial snow fell that the front rows of the audience were covered.

We were enchanted by the cellist's rendition of The Swan and felt both patriotic and emotional as the sound of We'll Meet Again rang out across the auditorium.

This was a night when those present shared this musical genius's wit and wisdom, laughing as he told us that Newcastle was his favourite place in the world. At the same time you could see many people wiping away tears as the sheer perfection of the music sometimes became too overwhelming to bear.

Rieu declared that music was his life, a comment that might have sounded trite coming from anyone else but in this setting, with this performance, you knew it was true and it really did feel a privilege to feel part of it.

There was encore after encore as the audience really did refuse to let him go – and no wonder. As Rieu himself says: “My main goal, every concert, is for people to have an unforgettable night! “I always tell my audience, if they bring their heart and open up to the music, they will enjoy every minute of it. “I like to talk to my audience, interact with them and look them in the eyes. “People don’t need to be afraid that they need to know everything about classical music, to attend a concert of mine. “In Mozart’s time, people would whistle his tunes on the street and that’s what it’s all about. “Classical music belongs to everybody; young and old, educated or not. “I believe that people are hungry for beautiful music. “Beautiful music is timeless and our concerts are a place where audiences are allowed to feel and show their emotions – something you don’t often get to do any more in modern life!”

His tongue-in-cheek comments about Newcastle were even funnier, after he had told the Chronicle: “Unfortunately we don’t have that much time to visit the cities but then again, I’ll do that when I’m old, together with my wife. “Now, while travelling, I just look forward to performing in front of a new audience every night. “I’m very excited to see how the UK public will react!

“I’m 61. My dream is to continue playing beautiful music, together with my wonderful orchestra, for as long as I feel fit!

André Rieu Loathed by Critics Adored by Fans

André Rieu Waltzing Off With the Public's Affection

Herald Scotland by Catriona Stewart
April 19, 2011

LOATHED by critics and adored by fans, violinist and conductor Andre Rieu is an eccentric mix of opposites: an artist who presides over a global business empire, a laid-back charmer with a fierce eye for detail, at once schmaltzy but heartfelt.

Critics label the 61-year-old an affront to classical music’s polite face, but the numbers don’t lie. His last tour with his Johann Strauss Orchestra sold more than any other male touring artist in the world, outstripping Bruce Springsteen. His album, Forever Vienna, secured the highest-ever ranking for a classical record, reaching No 2 in the British pop chart. He has sold more than 22million albums globally. With his long hair and roguish sparkle, he’s a rock star for the genteel ... André Rieu’s UK tour begins today in Newcastle.

Click on the link to read Full Article:► http://www.heraldscotland.com/arts-ents/music-features/waltzing-off-with-the-public-s-affection-1.1096925 

Interview With André Rieu's Son Pierre Rieu

Interview With André Rieu's Son Pierre Rieu

PIERRE RIEU April 12, 2011: When you have experienced a concert just once, you want to be part of it. Pierre Rieu, son of André, stopped his law studies after five weeks. "I was already working in my Dad's organization, and I liked it a lot better"

Who: Pierre Rieu
Born: June 24, 1981, Maastricht
Education: Atheneum (High School), law studies (five weeks) at the University of Maastricht
Career: 1996 Guide on a former military fortress at Eben-Emael, Belgium, 2000 Technical Production Managers with André Rieu Productions BV, since 2005 Vice President

►What did you want to be when you were ten?
"For a long time I wanted to be a fireman and afterwards a lawyer. I hardly knew what the profession of a lawyer entailed. When I began my law studies, I found out after five weeks that I did not like it. So my mother said, "Then stop with it." Fortunately it was not of importance to her, so that was a great relief. At that time I was already working in my dad's business and I found that to be much more fun."

►What was your first job?
"As a little boy of ten I was helping in the technical department of André, which then consisted of about five people. Carrying things, operating the tailgate of the truck. I always wanted to be in the company, even when I wanted to be a lawyer. If you've experienced a concert only once, you want to be part of it. It is a club of friends. When I began in 2000 as technical production manager, we already employed about fifty people. After traveling a few years with the technical department I felt I could do more than tell dirty jokes on the bus. André handed me more and more tasks. In that manner I became more valuable to the company. From that moment on I no longer joined them on every tour. Now I travel all over the world to prepare for the concerts. We are preparing for a tour in Brazil in March, April next year. My title, Vice President, I especially need for the Americans. When you are talking with people in the United States, you need a business card with a title. Even though my last name Rieu."

►The best advice I ever received?
Education. I've read that somewhere in an interview with Anne-Sophie Mutter, a German violinist. I think that's a good goal to strive for. That is one of the reasons I wanted to grow from production manager to vice president."

►What was in essence the message in your childhood?

"My father was with the Limburg Symphony Orchestra when we were little. He rehearsed when we were at school and in the evening was the performance. When we came home from school then he was always there, very nice. My three year older brother Marc and I were raised fairly liberal. Although there were certain expectations from us. For example, every year during our summer vacation we went to a language camp for three weeks: every year a different country. I speak all my languages fluently. I'm now studying for Portuguese for when we go to Brazil. You have such a huge advantage when you can converse with people in their own language."

►What was the most formative experience in your life?
"After the kick-off of the World Stadium Tour (where a life-size replica of the Viennese Schönbrunn castle served as a backdrop) in Toronto at the end of 2007 I had a breakdown. I had long been under a lot of stress. That led to where I now regularly ask myself "How I'm doing?" although it sounds quite silly. My body tells me when I'm too busy, I lie in bed at night with heart palpitations. Then ask myself: 'Okay, what I am concerned about?" Now I know better and know where my limits are. I am particularly worried when I have a conflict with people. I really fear that."

►What is the most important decision you've made in your life? "In 2007 we were producing a DVD of a few concerts we had conducted in the Efteling. A colleague called me and said, "The project leader of the Efteling is truly someone for you." I did not understand at that time what he was talking about of course. I already had a girl friend then, and my colleague knew that, since that girl was a member of our orchestra. My current wife and I worked closely together for four months in preparation of that DVD. My colleague turned out to be right. It was quite a major life decision to terminate my relationship and move on with her."

►How many people in your life have you fired?
"Maybe five. Horrible. But it had to be done, these people were exceeding the bounds and the group was bothered by them. We do so much traveling with the group that it is extremely important that everyone can work together. When I have to make those kinds of tough decisions, I call a good friend who is manager of four McDonald's restaurants. He has 350 young people under him and has been exposed to every situation. After I have spoken with him, I know exactly how to approach the situation."

►What is your strength?
"In difficult situations I remain extremely calm all the way through. At such times I am standing there as the responsible individual and people come to me when they can no longer handle it. On the inside I am very nervous, but in such situations it works for me to bring peace to the people and to ensure that we solve our problem soon. That comes naturally to me. I think I inherited that from my mother, she is also very calm ... Unlike my father, who can be very stressed out."

►Without luck, no success: When were you successful?
"Shortly after I joined the company, we went on tour in America. My dad conceived the idea to bring three buses from the Netherlands along. It means a lot to him to sit in his own bus with his own driver. The buses were already on their way to America when our insurance company said that they could not cover them. So on my own I flew to New York to arrange for insurance. Can you imagine being an insurance agent and you have this 19-year-old boy from the Netherlands on the phone who says he wants all risk insurance on three busses which will carry sixty people on a one month U.S. tour. He would declare you to be crazy. After many calls I finally got someone on the phone who had heard of André. "Oh Andrew, I'm a big fan," he said. At the very last moment I managed to complete everything."

►What is your greatest fear?
"To lose some one dear. When André became ill last September (Rieu Sr. had a virus infection on his equilibrium which caused him to cancel many international concerts) that thought had crossed my mind. The big world star suddenly appeared fragile. Emotionally it was intense. Although I did not think he would die."

A Big Thanks to John for his ©Translation of this on a Sunday and Sonja for finding it for us.

André Rieu 2011 N. American Tour Dates

André Rieu Full North American Tour For 2011

This is the Complete Concert List for 2011 which we received from the Rieu Camp today. It is the finalized list for the Tour, so André will only be coming to these cities this year.They also said that almost all concerts tickets will go on-sale April 30th and they will have more pre-sale info. for us closer to the pre-sale and on-sale dates.

Let’s make sure that André has a really good year here, so he will come back with even more concerts next year!!!

There will be No West Coast or Florida Concerts this year.

Anthony Hopkins Meets André Rieu

"ANTHONY HOPKINS MEETS ANDRÉ RIEU"

de Limburger April 15, 2011 by Tim Geurts: An important visitor for Andre Rieu this past week. None other than the British Oscar winner Anthony "Hannibal Lector" Hopkins who visited Limburg and Holland’s most famous violinist.

Several months ago, Sir Anthony Hopkins approached André Rieu with the question if the violinist and orchestra leader would like to play a waltz composed by him . After Rieu had confirmed his answer, Hopkins, together with his wife Stella Annoyave paid a personal visit to Maastricht to listen to the end result. André’s son Pierre was also in attendance.

"Anthony arrived in the Netherlands on Saturday, but we were still abroad, so Anthony visited us at our house on Sunday. That’s when André let him listen to his waltz for the first time. He had written this waltz in 1968, but had never listened to it before. When he heard it, he burst into tears. That’s how beautiful he thought it was."

The contacts between Rieu and Hopkins were made a few months ago. "Two months ago, Anthony Hopkins approached our New York office with his request if André would like to play his waltz. Anthony then sent him the sheet music and André arranged it into a waltz. The first "raw" version was sent to Anthony via MP3, who could then listen to his waltz on his iPhone somewhere at an airport. He answered back right away: "I am in Texas." He also indicated that he would like to come to Maastricht." And last weekend was when that event took place. Pierre was rather impressed with the British actor. "Anthony Hopkins is an icon in the movie world. Who does not know him? But he appeared to be a very likable individual. We are even allowed to call him Tony".

foto’s HillCreek Pictures B.V.

On Monday, André and his orchestra dove into the studio. "We had invited Anthony there and let him know that we would be rehearsing between 9:30 and 12:30. So you expect someone like him to arrive at 10:30, but no, on the contrary, he was there at five after nine. He did not want to miss a thing. His wife Stella was there too and found everything to be beautiful".

The movie star was so enthusiastic about the past weekend that he will shortly be returning to Maastricht. "He lives in LA, in Malibu, but was quite impressed by Maastricht. During the Vrijthof concerts, André will play Anthony’s waltz and he will be there. Since he does not want to miss a single thing, he will spend three weeks in Maastricht".

And in closing, Pierre thinks that the name Anthony Hopkins might open other doors for André. "These people know people … we have not had our big breakthrough in the US yet, so who knows what the name Anthony Hopkins can bring. And then of course there is also the Hollywood Film in which André will play the music. "We are very well versed in the music world and in the movie business, Anthony Hopkins is tops. If we ever have the chance to get these two to work together, we would be crazy not to do that. I would definitely not rule that out". And has Anthony Hopkins given any indication that he is interested in working together? "That, I will leave up in the air for now".

Thanks to John for finding and ©Translating this article.

André Rieu ~ Fiesta Mexicana DVD Set

Click on link to Pre-Order for May 27th

►http://www.ovationshop.com.au/Andre-Rieu/Andre-Rieu-Fiesta-Mexicana
►http://www.getmusic.com.au/artist/music/detail.aspx?pid=109686&aid=13774

Thanks to Mike and Margaret who gave us the heads up on this.

André Rieu and Anthony Hopkins Interview

Click here to see Interview With Rieu and Hopkins: ► http://www.andrerieu-movies.com/Boulevard_110411.html

An Important Visit for André Rieu

John sent this from "de Limburger". It is in today's newspaper.

André Rieu Conducts Hannibal Lecter

Violinist André Rieu Conducts Hannibal Lecter

Anthony Hopkins Is in Secret a Talented Composer And a Rieu Fan

By Markus Tschiedert March 2011: Anthony Hopkins has started a second career as a musician and contacted star violinist André Rieu. One came to world fame as a cannibal with charisma - Dr. Hannibal Lecter - the other one as one of the greatest leading violinist and conductor of our time. What do they have in common?

Very simple, but rather unusual: Hollywood star Anthony Hopkins (73) has become a classic composer, and André Rieu (61) became so enthusiastic that he now wants to record and play some songs of Hopkins' compositions in his repertoire for his concerts. "I still remember how I admired André when I saw him for the first time on television and expressed a wish how great it would be if this man would play some of my pieces," said Hopkins, who at the time was attending the premier of his new film, "The Rite - The Ritual" in Rome. "When my wife Stella heard of my dreams, she made contact with Rieu, but told me nothing. And then I got a call from the master.

His steel-blue eyes sparkle with joy when he talks about it, but minutes before he was hopping mad. Ironically, a journalist from the Vatican had asked him whether he would like to be the devil, since he so often portrayed villains like Hannibal and Hitler. "What a stupid question, leave me alone!" barked Hopkins, who does not want to be placed into any category. About his role in "The Rite" as Exorcist Father Lucas, who himself is possessed by the devil, he says short and to the point: "It does not always need to have a deeper meaning, when I accept a role. I am an actor, and when they pay me very well, even to read the phone book, I would do that too. It is as simple as that!"

Sir Anthony (as he has been called since 1993 when he was knighted by the Queen) does not belong to a church, and does not consider himself to be an atheist. "It all depends upon yourself, but you won't lose anything if you believe in something. Earlier in my life I also said that everything was just fairy tales, until I had to experience real life, and then I realized that there had to be something bigger in life. "Hopkins alludes to his alcohol addiction, which along with his early success towards the end of the 60's was hard to cope with.

On 29 December 1975 he awoke in a frenzy, somewhere, and how he got there he did not know. "That was many years ago. "I led a life that was painful and certainly not very smart. After that I wanted to definitely change that, I was at a point in my life where long ago I should have been dead."

Meanwhile, Hopkins is in his third marriage to the Brazilian actress Stella Arroyave (54), and even learned to pray - in gratitude for that second chance. "I thank God to be alive." And André Rieu says thanks too .............. Go to André's Website to see lots of pictures now taken today!!

►http://www.andrerieu.com/en/news/sir-anthony-hopkins-in-the-studio

Thanks to John for the ©Translation of this

Sir Anthony Hopkins Visits André Rieu in Maastricht

Sir Anthony Hopkins Visits André Rieu in Maastricht

Actor Anthony Hopkins is currently staying in Maastricht. Earlier on Monday, he met with conductor André Rieu. The violinist is providing the arrangement for a waltz which the Oscar-winning British actor composed.

April 11, De Limburger By Our Reporter: Hopkins contacted Rieu a few months ago asking him if he would like to perform his waltz. The British actor and his wife appear to be Rieu fans for years, whom they learned to know through his DVD's. Hopkins along with his wife arrived on Saturday in Maastricht. He and Rieu met for a private meeting on Sunday.

Today the two drove to the studio to listen to the results. According to Rieu's spokeswoman, Hopkins' wife burst into tears while there attending the event.

Hopkins and his wife will come back again to Maastricht in July when Rieu will have his musical performances on the Vrijthof. The Waltz composed by Hopkins will apparently be played then!

The 73-year-old Hopkins, best known for his role as Hannibal Lecter in movies such as "The Silence of the Lambs", also met musicians from Rieu's Johann Strauss Orchestra. The actor will fly back to London today.

Thanks to John and Ineke for finding this and John ©Translating it.

Now that's a composer you wouldn't expect in our studio :)
but he was here today to hear us play the waltz he
composed especially for André and the orchestra!
Anthony Hopkins ... what a wonderful, talented and
inspiring man! (From Frank Steijns Facebook)

For those who don't have Facebook, the above picture and caption is from Frank's Facebook page today.

The Seekers are Set For an André Rieu-nion!

The Seekers are Set For a Rieu-nion

IT'S 9am on day one of rehearsals for Andre Rieu's coming Australian tour and his orchestra is piling into his Maastricht studio. The room is busy with lots of kisses, hugs and greetings in Dutch, French, German, and English.

The musicians have not seen each other for a week, having had a break. Rieu sits at a table in the studio tearoom, sipping a cup of coffee (he made himself) and eating a fresh pain au chocolat.

Australian band 'The Seekers' have re-formed as special guests on his tour - it's been seven years since they last played together. They're minutes away and Rieu puts down his pastry to be ready to greet them for the first time. Click on the link to see full article and video in the Maatricht Studio:

►http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/entertainment/insider/seekers-set-for-a-rieu-nion/story-e6frewt9-1226036052085

Photo of The Month from André Rieu Website

Congratulations to Ineke and Ruud!

And how nice of the Rieu's to Send the DVD to Hideo and Mihoko too!!

Mirusia Louwerse New DVD "Always and Forever"

In March 2011, Mirusia Louwerse released her first DVD "Always and Forever". This is the story of Mirusia's "dream come true" as told in 13 exquisite songs, all performed with André Rieu and his Johann Strauss Orchestra. The DVD is destined for the Australian market only, but can be ordered from both the Ovation shop in Australia and from the shop "Music and Movies" in The Netherlands.

Click on the link to Ineke and Ruud's Movie Site to see a video of a small teaser compiled from three songs from the DVD. ► http://www.andrerieu-movies.com/Mirusia_dvd.html

The photos are scanned from the Booklet enclosed in the DVD sent from Ineke.

Illness Changed André Rieu’s Life

Illness Changed André Rieu’s Life

A Special Interview About Fame, Adversity and Emotions

Where would you like to go and talk? Outside it is too warm, inside it is too cold due to the air conditioning, says André Rieu with a smile when "Weekend" meets with him in sunny South Africa. He is relaxed, despite the fact that he has many performances to do and is responsible for at least 110 employees. André: "These tours are a vacation for me. Here the schedule has been confirmed, and everything has been arranged. During my off time I can relax to the fullest. As soon as I am home the real work starts again. Composing, meetings, planning and on and on".

The king of the waltz landed in a country where he is considered to be one of the most popular artists of all times. Sold out concerts in Cape Town, Sun City and Durban affirm his status.

MANDELA

What makes André so exceptional is that he is loved by all South Africans: Blacks, mixed and whites sit together side by side in one of his concerts and that has not always been the case in a country where up until about twenty years or so ago, there was still a precise and distinct division between the different population groups. André had noticed that long before he conducted his first concert in the country where Jan van Riebeeck first colonized Cape Town back in 1652, and has had an age old bond with the Netherlands. "I did not know how the public would react to my first concerts here last year. But I wanted it to become like a big party for everyone. So I involved the "Houtbay Music Project", a place where children have a chance to develop and use their talents. These children come from the slum areas, and in as much as they can develop their talents, they also stay off the streets and that way are prevented from taking the wrong path. They also performed in Maastricht. Not a single child had a passport and a few did not even have shoes. For these children it has been a fantastic experience, and some of them are now real divas, and they conduct themselves accordingly. But I will continue to supper them" says André with a smile. In South Africa he also discovered singer Kimmy. "I was looking for a singer from here who could perform as a soloist. I found that person in Kimmy Skota. I asked her if she could sing a song that every South African would know and she chose "Thula thula Baba". I knew right away that we had to do that. And when we played that song during the concerts, everyone in the audience was crying. Most elderly South Africans grew up with a black Nanny who sang that song for the children. When Kimmy sang that song, it brought back those early memories. Can you imagine, people who grew up in a racist country all of the sudden felt tears well up when they heard a black singer sing a song. Very exceptional! I have never seen so many tears in a concert. And when I start to feel those emotions again, I well up too. I too cried a lot during my concerts in South Africa last year. This year there are those moments again that will give you goose bumps. All the way towards the end we will play "Sarie Marais" and every on sings along with that song. It is just as if the people are singing along with their National Anthem."

André is very proud of the fact that Nelson Mandela is one of his fans. "They told me that he enjoyed our concerts. Of course I immediately invited him, but he is too old and weak to do that again. But in order to do something special for this exceptional individual, we asked him which his favorite pieces are. Which he passed on. Especially for Mandela, we dove into our studio, recorded his favorite numbers there on a special CD, of which he has the only copy. He was so excited that his wife, Graca Madela, would come to our concert. But she too had to cancel due to the bad health of her husband," says André

COMPELLING REST

2010 was an intense year for the successful orchestra leader. Not only did he become a grandfather of four in barely ten months, but at the same time he was also faced with serious health problems. Tours had to be cancelled and André was forced to a compelling rest. The sequences of huge successes, lots of traveling and hard work, suddenly came to an abrupt halt.

André: It was not a "burn-out" although I was well on the way to one. Earlier you would have called it "being over worked". All at once everything around me started to spin. My equilibrium gave out. I knew right away that something was wrong and I have really listened to my doctors. I had to rest and that is what I did. But it was extremely difficult. All sorts of thoughts go through your head. Your family, your company, the people working for you and the fans you have to disappoint. But it was a warning from my body which I took very seriously. When things started to improve, we took a look at the future. Together with my wife Marjorie, we decided how to continue on. We looked at our schedule and eliminated all the things which were taking up too much time. I could hardly ever say "No", but now I have to. An opening here, a lecture there, all in all very nice and fun to do, but I had to put a stop to that. It consumes too much time. Interviews with newspaper and magazines I almost never do any more. You were lucky" he says laughing.

ACTING LIKE A DIVA

During the period of his illness, André has become to appreciate his family, his 110 permanent employees and his fans even more. "Everyone was there for me. That has given me enormous support. The company of course suffered a tremendous loss, but due to all the support we knew we would prevail. Everything is running again, but a lot has changed. I rest more than before and delegate more. The stresses are still there, they have not changed. When one day you miss that, then something is definitely wrong. Marjorie, his wife, is often mentioned during this interview. He seems not to do anything without her; she is the driving force behind the scenes. Marjorie also ensures that André keeps both feet firmly planted on the ground. "Of course fame does that to you. But all the successes and attention from the fans is something we all worked very hard for to achieve, and have to continue to work for. If I would dare to exhibit just a little of a diva attitude, Marjorie would immediately bring that to my attention. But honestly, that will not be necessary. As soon as I return from a tour, normally I am in a local super market within the hour and then I am just André from Maastricht again. Everything is just back to normal," he says.

He is definitely not thinking about stopping. "I’ll do this until I drop, if I have anything to say about it. There are still too many nice things to do. For instance, I would dearly love to perform on the "Dam" in Amsterdam. That is really the square in the Netherlands. At the inauguration of the new King? If they ask me I would definitely not say no." He is now very busy with his new CD, titled "Let’s Dance". It will have nice dance music, like the ballroom classics. And that of course will also be incorporated in our concerts. I always like it when people spontaneously get up to dance. I always encourage that. I like to have contact with the people in the audience, that’s why the lights are always on so that I can see their faces.

CASTLE

This year there are still concerts scheduled for Great Britain, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, Mexico and the United States. In the Netherlands André and his orchestra will perform amongst others in Amsterdam, Arnhem and Heereveen, and of course in his own Maastricht, where between 15 and 24 July he will perform six open air concerts on the Vrijthof. The world famous violinist never envisions leaving Maastricht. Not even if he was offered a huge contract in a city like Las Vegas. "I do not think that Marjorie would ever want to leave Maastricht. So, if we would work for an extended period abroad, officially we would still be residing in Maastricht." He lives in a beautiful castle, "De Torentjes" (the little towers) of which the oldest parts date back to the thirteenth century. His company is based there too. "Do you know the main character of the comic strip, Kuifje (Tin Tin) who stands on the entrance road to the castle "Molensteen"? With huge eyes he stands there looking at that castle. As a youngster I wanted that too. When this little castle came up for sale, we were looking for a house. As a joke I told Marjorie: "We can live there too." To which she answered; "You’d better start selling lots more CD’s then." And that’s what I did."

Thank you to Ineke for sending this and John for ©Translating it