Final Results For Maastricht "Fan Dinner"!

TROS Filming André Rieu in Brazil

André Rieu Special Being Filmed in Brazil by TROS

The TROS (Dutch TV) is currently following André Rieu in Brazil, where the Limburg violinist and his entourage are now (until June 10) performing in Sao Paulo.  

It is the first time that Rieu is conducting his concerts in Brazil. The TROS is producing a kind of real-life episode of the violin virtuoso during this special tour. 

It is all about a single broadcast, which will be aired later this year on TV. The TROS related to RTL Boulevard that a broadcast date and the name of the program are not yet known.

Thanks to John for the Translation! 

Suely's André Rieu Concert in Sao Paulo, Brazil 

São Paulo (Brazil) Suely Kawana – After two weeks of personal excitement, counting down the days and posting texts and videos in the fan pages, the big day finally arrived. The first concert of André Rieu and The Johann Strauss Orchestra in São Paulo, also first in South America, was a huge success!! While entering in Ginásio do Ibirapuera, I remembered all my friends from Europe, South Africa and Mexico who wished to be in my pocket. “It is finally happening!”, I said to myself. “My dream come true.” I saw the piano and commented with the ladies in front of me: “Stephanie’s piano!” 

I arrived very early and could walk around the Ginásio. Surprise! Ruud (trombone), Noël and two more colleagues were walking around too. Also I could see some girls with curls in the hair. Two more surprises were waiting for me inside. Bela come in my direction and I say “Hi, Bela!” A man told me Frank also is there. At that moment, I saw Jean-Pierre posing for photos and rushed to him. Great! Took some photos. The TV crew also interviewed him and Frank. I shake hands with Frank.

Almost full house and the night was warm and nice. “Spring Voices” starts the concert. I was in the third row, right in front of my dear Tanja! So good to hear the sound of the orchestra live! Enthusiastic applauses. I stand up and wave to my friend in the orchestra. She sees me, smile, wave with her head. I am happy! André did his home work and talks to the crowd in Portuguese, English, sometimes Spanish. The audience helps him when he has in trouble and can’t find the word. To me, it seemed he was talking without electronic help. 

The first laughs come with “The Skaters Waltz”, the third music played, followed by an Italian song new to me sung by the Platin Tenors. Ah, Nessum Dorma!! They sing so beautifully! 

André says how he is happy to play music. Manoe puts the crowd on fire with Hava Naguila and I think to myself: Did André accept my suggestion to play it here because we have a big Jewish community in São Paulo? Then, André made his magic and made snow over our heads. General laugh. 

The orchestra plays Happy Birthday. Oh, I know who is about to step in the stage! Dear Carla and her Doll Aria! Lovely and joyful performance as always and she receives a standing applause. First non-classic music: Ballade pour Adeline played by Stephanie. 

Carla, Carmen and Kimmy plus the Platin Tenors sing “Tanzen möcht' ich” and close the first part of the concert. I knew Kimmy was here but keep the secret to the debut. 

After 15 minutes of interval, the second half starts with that anvil polka and more laugh. Kimmy, the Black Diamond, enchants with the Ave Maria. Vien Blood, the second waltz of the day, makes me dance in my chair and the big hall of a palace is seen on the big screen behind the orchestra. Ah, André announce an Italian song I love: Non Ti Scordar Di Me sung by the tenors. 

André says how music can heal. To my surprise, he tells Manoe had overcome a breast cancer! I don’t know when it was…She receives a warm applause and plays Amazing Grace, that I love!! 

André remembers how he was impressed some years ago when he got to know a beautiful soprano with whom he has recorded many DVDs. It is time to Carmen plays her role in Habanera. 

Oh, my wish was fulfilled!! The first notes of “Manhã de Carnaval” are heard and Carla on guitar is followed by Carmen and Kimmy in the stage. I sing together. Love so much this song!

André says he is curious to see the reaction of Brazilian fans to the Blue Danube. Oh, my compatriots are disappointing me….Just a man with his little daughter in his arms and a couple have courage to dance. I incite people near me to go and dance. Slowly some more couples occupy the aisle, thanks God!! And so do I though I am alone. But to my surprise a fellow member of the Brazilian fan page finds me and we dance together. We can’t disappoint André. I was in front the stage and more people joined us to take photos. The rain of balloons starts. The soloists and the tenors sing Hallelluja to finish the presentation. I sing together too. Love it. 

But the crowd wants more. Adieu, Adieu. From this point till the end, I can’t remember the sequence. We are all so happy!! Brazil Symphony, Tico-tico no Fubá, Ai Se Eu Te Pego, makes us dance. People are not shy anymore! Tanja enjoys people dancing, I wave to her, she sees me and I blow her a kiss. She smiles even more!! I love her! 

End. But the crowd shouts “Por que parou, parou por quê? Por que parou, parou por quê?” (Why stopped, stopped why?). It is a popular way here to ask for Encores. And André and the orchestra plays again the hit of Michel Teló. This time it is really The End. What a pity: it was so good!! Thanks André and Orchestra: the long wait was worth it! 

But I wanted more and waited for the musicians to come out. It was almost 1:00 AM. Finally, they came one by one. Unfortunately, I couldn’t talk to André. I asked Jean-Pierre to give my gifts to his father, talked to my friend, gave a warm hug to Carla – oh, she is so cute, so tiny, it is so nice to embrace her!  I told Manoe how happy I was she had overcome cancer – she said she is healthy now – and said a quick “Hi” to Tanja. 

Time to go back home. But my long day is not over yet and you all know why. My friends are waiting for my report. I don't want to disappoint them.

►CLICK HERE To See Photos of The May 29th Concert 

Thank you to Suely for writing this report for all fans everywhere when she was so tired and had to be up to go to work the next day! Plus she had another concert that night ... Thank you Suely! :-)

André Rieu Concerts in Sao Paulo, Brazil!

►Click HERE To Watch The Television Report
►Click HERE For a Slide Show of Photos From The Concert!

We don't know what they're saying in the video, but it's still fun to watch!

André Rieu Hold Press Conference in Brazil

Photos of André at His Press Conference Yesterday

►HERE is the LINK to The Article on The Conference 

(You can run the article through Google Translate, it comes out pretty good.)

André Rieu Performs in Domingao in Brazil Today!

André and ther JSO were on BRAZILIAN TELEVISION today ... May 27, 2012: Presentation of the conductor André Rieu and his orchestra in Domingao Faustao on May 27th where he presented, among other things, the success of "oh if I Caught You." 

 ►Click HERE To See Full Show  ►Click HERE To See Them Play "Have You Been to Pego" 

Only three nights! Until Tuesday!

►See Message and Photo on André's Twitter

First night there and Brazilian Fan Silvana Lucato got her picture with him!

(Picture from The Harmony Parlor on Facebook)

André Rieu in Sao Paulo Brazil

André is Now in Brazil! 

As we all saw on André's Twitter he is in Brazil now!  Suely from Sao Paulo went over to the Venue today and took the two pictures below. They were working on getting the stage set up. This will be his home for 20 Concerts!! Brazil is getting very excited ...

A few fun photos that Petra took at the Hannover Conert

André Rieu is More Energetic Than Ever Before!

André Rieu is More Energetic Than Ever Before!

André Rieu is back ! And it is almost that time again. In a little over a month he will be performing for his 8th year on the Vrijthof in Maastricht. .And he feels fit as a fiddle again. We are clearly talking about the famous Dutch violinist and conductor André Rieu. He is also known as someone who has made classical music accessible to the general public. The popular violinist and his Johann Strauss Orchestra have performed throughout the world and his shows are becoming larger and more exuberant. Meanwhile, more than thirty million CDs and DVD's of André Rieu have been sold worldwide. Each year over 700,000 people visit one of his concerts. That makes him after Madonna, Tina Turner and Britney Spears the best selling touring artist in the world.

Since early 2012, André Rieu has had to cancel many performances due to the flu and fatigue. He explained that his vestibular system was the problem, which is his weak spot. After this difficult period, he now again is ready to face the world! André Rieu has lost as much as 8 kilo's (17.6 lbs), he takes life a little easier and is very active in sports again. Every day he does bodybuilding to keep his body in shape. And because of that he now is in top shape! It is also necessary for him in order to shine for his upcoming concerts. It already has been ten years since André Rieu has really participated in any sport.

In addition to the summer evening concerts on 22, 23, 24 and 26 June on the Vrijthof, André Rieu will join his 60-piece Johann Strauss Orchestra and the many soloists for a new show. On Friday, 30 November the maestro will present a gigantic show in the Ziggo Dome in Amsterdam. He will also perform a Christmas concert on 22 December in the Ahoy in Rotterdam. Expect a colorful concert full of great music, lots of surprises, balloons, the Platin Tenors and the beautiful sopranos from Brazil and South Africa!

Thanks to John for the Translation ...

  ►Maastricht 2012 To Be Shown in NZ and Australia!

Click on the above link for all the details and locations (Photo by Al Girard)

André Rieu Chapeau Magazine Article

In Top-Shape!

Chapeau May 17, 2012: In the 2010 Christmas edition of Chapeau, I wrote there that, after three months of enforced rest, I had learned something due to the problems with my equilibrium. I would approach things differently; reject many activities and only concentrate on my performances and my music. And, I also wrote there that I would work out again, as I had previously done. Frankly I have to admit that the latter never took place. Despite the fact that I accepted fewer requests and invitations, I never started to exercise. I was kept busy with the preparations of new tours, CD recordings and wonderful specials in Vienna, Amsterdam and Maastricht, and especially the beautiful and very time and energy consuming Christmas Special for ZDF.

And yes, earlier this year things went wrong again with a nasty flu, again dizziness, and again I was totally "done for". Well, that will not make you happy, especially the orchestra and my staff. So I thought: I have to make drastic changes if I want to follow my dream and make music for as long as possible and continue the reality. With exercises and rest I have managed to get the dizziness under control, but this time I have taken the matter much further. It was high time that I really started thinking of myself once more and started listening to my body. What I do on all those tours around the world throughout the year is considered by experts as a top sport. Every international artist can relate to that. The real athletes, like cyclists and soccer players are being coached daily by a team of experts. How much they should exercise, what exactly they should do, how they should take care of their bodies, which foods they should eat, etc. Consequently these athletes are roughly between eighteen and thirty years old. I'm over sixty and have never been coached by anyone, especially not in this occupation. Your body is obviously the basis for everything you do, whether it's playing soccer or the violin. So I said to myself: it's been nice but now is the time for discipline, also in this area. I have obtained a personal trainer who coaches me. He makes a schedule for the entire week, whether it is power lifting that day (yes, really! to strengthen the muscles), running, tennis, breathing exercises, or just a day of not doing anything at all, that’s also allowed. And also which foods I eat. I do not follow a particular complicated diet, but eat very healthy and am aware of what I eat. Wow, did that show results! My condition is rapidly progressing, I feel really very fit and my clothes fit better again, especially my shirts. I've already lost eight kilo’s (17 lbs) and I want to return to my old weight of about 80 kilo’s (176 lbs) at which time I felt fine in the past. 

Unfortunately, all sorts of wild stories were published in national and international news media. Would I ever be returning to the stage? I was attributed to the most serious illnesses. But that was all nonsense, I'm totally back, healthy, and I feel ten years younger through my conditioning and I will now keep that very well on track. My first concert after a three month’s rest period was in Denmark, which turned out to be immediately super; it felt like always, the audience was deliciously enthusiastic, just wonderful. Also the performances afterwards in Germany, Austria and Budapest went fantastic. The Johann Strauss Orchestra has more vitality now than ever before; the musicians are so relieved that we can play again! We are totally ready for our first tour to Brazil. If we are to believe the messages, they are already furiously enthusiastic there! We will play twelve times in the same venue in Sao-Paulo, beginning at the end of May. That’s before the Vrijthof concerts towards the end of June. And then in July we again go back to Brazil for another series of twelve concerts. So that promises to be a big celebration. 

In August we will be on holiday, but now for real! And no one will come and ask me to do a Christmas special or whatever, because I will just say "no!" After our summer holidays we will be making up the cancelled concerts from the beginning of the year, in Germany and France. Towards the end of the year we play in the new "Ziggo Dome" in Amsterdam and the "Ahoy" in Rotterdam, and that pretty much finishes the year. In the meantime we are busy planning tours for Asia, and that looks promising. But whatever happens, from now on I will take enough time for myself to relax and maintain my fitness levels. If this, what I do is considered a top sport, then I have to adjust my lifestyle. I'm very willing to do that, since my music is everything to me! See you on the Vrijthof; I am looking forward to it!

André Rieu 

Thanks to Ineke for sending this to us right away and John for Translating it.

The Parlor on Facebook Hits 500 Members! 

It was exciting as we were nearing our 500th member to join the Harmony Parlor on Facebook.  And what made it even more exciting, here is our 500th member to join! Welcome Suzan!!

Good News From Mirusia! Here's what she wrote on her Facebook today ...

Thank you to all my lovely fans for the encouraging and supportive emails and messages for my upcoming solo tour. It means so much to me to know you are thinking of me and wishing me the best.

I'm really looking forward to seeing what the future has in store for me! :-) Thank you all!

ps. To answer your questions: I am only just taking a break from working with Andre Rieu and the JSO, I hope to return to perform with them again next year. Stay tuned for a new album, news coming soon!

On April 30th, 2012 Celebration of the Queens Birthday in The Netherlands, André appeared on the RTL Boulevard. He looks back at the past months ... ►Watch Interview Here 

UPDATE: For those who cannot get the videos to work ... here is a link where you can read what André said: ►Conversation with André on RTL Interview