Adelaide Australia Has Their First André Rieu ConcertAdelaide Now Nov. 18, 2008
WALTZ and schmaltz combined to create the most extravagant spectacle for Dutch violinist Andre Rieu's first Adelaide concert at AAMI Stadium last night. Even the threat of rain couldn't dampen the enthusiasm of 20,000 fans who were treated to everything from golden carriages drawn around the oval by six white horses, to ice-skating rinks, flying sopranos and a fountain which spurted water in time to Ravel's "Bolero".
"Adelaide audiences are the most joyful in the world," Rieu declared with his distinctive smirk.
"When you play music you will be young forever," he continued, getting a laugh from the largely older crowd, which included one man dressed as Charlie Chaplin, as they clapped along in time.
Rieu served it all up with a sense of humour, from turning Mozart into "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star," to a pot of boiling goulash prepared by one of his singers.
The centrepiece of Rieu's "A Romantic Vienna Night" concert was his towering, 125-metre wide aluminium and plaster replica of that city's famous Schonbrunn Palace.
As well as Rieu's Johann Strauss Orchestra and Choir, it housed a ballroom complete with mirrored doors, gold chandeliers, ceiling frescos and dancers, two gigantic video screens, and was topped with Renaissance statues.
If that wasn't enough, about 200 members of South Australia's various Scottish pipe and drum bands were recruited to march across the stadium to join Rieu and his orchestra on stage as an introduction to "Amazing Grace".
Rieu's musical smorgasboard was equally wide-ranging. As well as his trademark Strauss waltzes, there were movie themes ("My Heart Will Go On" from "Titanic"), LLoyd Webber musicals ("Phantom of the Opera"), and an Aussie medley which threw the themes from "Neighbours" and "Bananas in Pyjamas" in alongside everything from "Home Among the Gum Trees" to "The Road to Gundagai."
Front and centre was the self-made maestro himself, his long mane of hair flowing in time with the vigourous thrusts of his bow.
Not even the scale of this production could dwarf his chamismatic presence, or his playing which has enchanted millions of Australian CD and DVD buyers.
Among the other 350 performers was Queensland-born soprano Mirusia Louwerse, who descended on wires to regail the crowd with a beautiful rendition of "Botany Bay", and Rieu's own version of the Three Tenors, belting out "Nessun Dorma" as a tribute to the late Pavarotti.
Yesterday afternoon, Rieu stood among the empty seats conducting his orchestra and singers through a rehearsal. He will fly to Brisbane today, to continue editing a DVD of his Melbourne performance, before returning to AAMI Stadium for his second concert tonight. PATRICK McDONALD, ARTS EDITOR ~ Photos the property of Al Girard
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