André Rieu’s favourite moments during his concerts are when the audience starts dancing in the aisles during The Beautiful Blue Danube Waltz.
This weekend, cinema-goers in far flung corners of Australia might just start doing the same as a huge Rieu concert in the Netherlands is beamed into local movie theatres.
The king of Waltz and his famous 60-piece Johann Strauss Orchestra will be forming in his hometown of Maastricht in the gorgeous Vrijthof square, “the most romantic square in the Netherlands” he calls it. But the concert will be delivered via satellite to over 1,200 cinema screens in 35 countries.
“It’s a wonderful chance for people that do not have the possibility to travel to Maastricht to be with us on this special night,” Rieu told The Weekly by email.
In Australia, the performance will be screened in 80 different places, from Wollongong to Innaloo, Wangaratta to Coolangatta, Arndale to Darwin and Rivoli to Bunbury. A full list of the participating cinemas can be viewed here.
Mirusia Louwerse, a 29-year-old Australian soprano, has been performing with Rieu for five years and will feature in this concert also. When he first heard Louwerse sing, Rieu says that he “thought she had the voice of an angel.”
“Her aunt wrote me an email and sent a video of her. When I heard her unique voice I was convinced that I wanted to work with her and I immediately invited her to come to my studio for an audience. She took the next plane!”
The broadcasts will not be live, but they are just a few days after the real event, promising the humour, emotion and romance that Rieu says are “a good description of what our evenings are like.”
“This year we have transformed it into a romantic Italian setting with decors of the Rialto Bridge and the Doge’s Palace because our new album ‘Love in Venice’ which is going to be out later this year is all about Venice and romance.”
Maastricht
Growing up in Maastricht, André the boy wanted to become an architect. He sang soprano in the boys choir at church and took piano lessons in the castle where he now lives.
“But at that time it was cold and dark and the piano teacher was an old witch. But my violin teacher was an 18-year-old blonde. So now you know why I became a violinist instead of a pianist!”
Rieu’s castle, called ‘de Torentjes’ which means ‘small towers’ is “a romantic haven to come home to from touring,” he says.
“The castle has a wonderful garden in which I love to relax and an orange house, which I designed myself.
“Its oldest part is from 1452 and the famous musketeer d’Artagnan is said to have had his last breakfast in my kitchen before being killed in combat.”
Classical Mega-star
André Rieu is the most popular classical artist in the world. Last year alone, his orchestra performed 70 shows and raked in just under $50million.
Rieu puts this popularity down to “the positive, energetic atmosphere” of the concerts.
“I wanted people to interact with us, to enjoy the music and listen to melodies they knew and have loved for all of their lives. We play with our hearts for you and we want you to go home happy and excited. I can’t tell you how many people write me letters of how our music has made them happy. It’s wonderful – for them and for us of course. We get back so much from our audiences. It’s so rewarding.
“My mother always said, don’t look people in the eyes like that. But I do. I look them in the eyes and I see everything that is going on in the audience.”
