Exclusive Interview With André Rieu Tenor Bela Mavrak

An Exclusive Interview With Bela Mavrak by Michaela Boland

"What do you see are the advantages of working with Andre Rieu," I ask. "The advantages are that you sing before 30,000 to 40,000 people. We have direct contact with the people. If you play a role in an opera, you are imprisoned by it and cannot look into the eyes of your audience. Due to the requirements of your role, there is a sort of barrier, and therefore you are not free. During performances with André Rieu, I sing for the audience and can be pro active with my eyes and am able to display expressions. Many fans say it's like mass hypnosis. The eyes speak to the people and they feel better connected as if they are part of the "show family". People go home happy and what more could you want?

This is an interview that has been translated into English at Bela's request through his friend Sigrun, so that all English speaking fans would also be able to read it. We want to thank John for his many hours that he put into the translation of this long and wonderful article and also Ineke for the help she gave him ...

Click here to read the full article: ►Exclusive Interview With Bela

André Rieu Switches To Pop???

Curious??? . ►Click Here To See ...

André Rieu Shows His Sweet Twin Granddaughters

Beate has posted this link on the Guestbook, but it will soon get lost off the page there, so I'm adding it here also. Click on the link below to read the article that Beate posted from the magazine ... Thanks Beate!

►André Rieu shows his sweet grandchildren

André Rieu Will Perform For Queen Elizabeth

There have been a lot of inquiry's about this, so I decided to post here on the Parlor what information we have. Ineke read the following in a Dutch Newspaper today ...

On December 7th André Rieu will perform for the British Queen Elizabeth at the 81st Royal Variety Performance in Blackpool (England). The Dutch violinist will be playing "The Radetzky March and the Medley Strauss and Co." After the Performance Rieu will meet with the Queen. (Thank you Ineke!)

The Performance will be aired on ITV1 in England December 13th. And for the first time a CD will be released of the event in England. Below is the lineup of all the people who will be performing.

Michael Bublé, Alexandra Burke, Diversity, Hal Cruttenden, Miley Cyrus, Whoopi Goldberg, Adam Hills, Lady Gaga, Bob Golding as Eric Morecambe, Les 7 Doights de la Main, Katherine Jenkins, Jason Manford, Pilobolus Dancers, Mika, Lady GaGa Bette Midler, Andre Rieu, Faryl Smith, Paul Zerdin - Also the Heavy Cavalry and Cambrai Band, the cast of Sister Act the Musical, with Whoopi Goldberg and the cast of Here Come the Girls; Anastacia, Lulu and Chaka Khan

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A ►Fun Video To Watch when you're taking a break from all that Turkey!

The Paintings of André Rieu's Son Marc Rieu

A Look at Some Paintings by Marc Rieu

Who am I ... My name is Marc Rieu and I was born on November 1, 1978 in one of the most beautiful cities of the Netherlands ... Maastricht!

My passion for painting arose in the Vincent van Gogh year, 1990. It was in connection of a extremely fascinating television documentary, shown during the last year of my primary school. After that I only had one wish: after my secondary school, I would love to study art history at the university.

Click on the links below to see the New Page that Sonja has made on her Website of Marc Rieu, plus Marc's Website with all his paintings and Marc's Facebook.

►Sonja's Page on Marc Rieu -►Marc Rieu's Website -►Marc Rieu on Facebook

André Rieu again says, "One Time I Want To Play On The Moon."

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This is a Magazine that is issued in the Arnhem area where André is going to give his two Christmas Concerts at the 'Gelredome' in December. He is on the Cover of the Magazine and inside there is an interview which says in big letters:

"Ik wil ooit een keer op de maan spelen"
"ONE TIME I WANT TO PLAY ON THE MOON"

The interview is very nice, but most of it is what André has said many times before, so I took just a few of the questions that were a little different and translated them from the article. ~ Ineke

Question: Do you also have hysterical women after you, just like the Rock Stars do?
André: "No, I have male and female fans who behave very well. I admire them, because sometimes they wait a long time for me after a concert just to get an autograph, even when the weather is bad."

Question: Besides being an excellent Musician, you are also an Entertainer. Have you always been an Entertainer?
André: "I don't see myself as an Entertainer. I am a Musician who wants to make classical music accessible for a large audience and I do that in my own way. I don't stand with my back to the audience, I talk to them and I joke a little. That makes the atmosphere more relaxed than in traditional classical concerts. I like to surprise my audience. That is probably what you call entertainment, but in the end, it is all about the music."

Question: You compare playing the violin with a relationship to some one you love very much. But every relationship has it's ups and downs. Do you also have that with your violin?
André: "No, that is the only difference. We never argue and we always love each other."

Question: In the beginning the JSO had 12 members and at present there are over 50. Critics say that the Big Show around you is responsible for your success and you should more or less disappear to the background.
André: "I don't think so. We have success because we make the Classical Music accessable for large audiences and the larger the audience, the bigger halls we need and with more musicians.The wonderful thing about my orchestra is that we feel like a big family, and we have fun together on stage. That's part of our success, for that is what the audience hears and sees."

Thank You Ineke

Katherine Jenkins, André Rieu ~ Believe

This is an article of singer Katherine Jenkins who just released a new CD on Friday and has a song on it with André. I thought it interesting and it's a beautiful song. There's a link below to hear a bit of it.

KATHERINE Jenkins is the wild child of modern classical music. She's admitted using cocaine, ecstasy and marijuana as a teenager and once said she could have "ended up like Amy Winehouse''.

"It's so important to me that classical music is accessible and approachable, because I came from a background where I didn't know anything about it,'' the Welsh mezzo-soprano tells Insider. Jenkins, 29, has sold more than four million albums, signed a $10.6 million contract with Warner - reportedly the largest in classical music history - and made Britain's Sunday Times Rich List.

Her eighth album, "Believe", featuring collaborations with "Andrea Bocelli and Andre Rieu", was released on Friday.

While Jenkins has made her name mining the popular-classical crossover vein, she hasn't ruled out performing straight opera, and she has a big name preparing her for the moment.

"That's something I've always said I wanted to do,'' she says. "Being a mezzo-soprano, my voice doesn't fully develop until I'm about 30. Placido Domingo has been giving me lessons to get me ready for my first opera.''

You can click on the links to hear a little of her singing with André from her new CD and a video: ►Listen to 'Ancora Non Sai' by Katherine Jenkins with André

►More Information and Video

Jean Philippe, André Rieu's Youngest Brother

Youngest Brother of André Rieu Created a Children's Book, "Marie"

Some 'excerpts' from an interview with Jean-Philippe Rieu

Jean Philippe, " I did not want to live like André any more" ...

After having traveled with his brother for six years, Jean-Philippe Rieu decided to continue on his own. André's youngest brother (52) wanted to spend more time with his three children. "I wasn't even a father from a distance any more, I was just distance and not a father ... I did not want to go on like that".

Jean-Philippe lives in Eijsden, a town near Maastricht, close to the Belgian border. He created his own show "Azur, fantasies with passion", with which he is touring around in theaters. In it he plays his own compositions while making magic with light, images, words and poems. My wife Magda convinced me to make my own performances. I always said that I'd never give concerts myself, but now I am in the spotlight ...

Rieu has also created a children's book about a fairy named "Marie" with an added DVD. It is about dreams and pure friendship. The book arose out of the stories he used to tell his children at bedtime when they were little. Jean Paul (17), Roos (14) and Jerom (12). The name Marie was chosen for the book because all three of his children have Marie as a middle name.

Rieu talks about his (and André's) mother,"She is 89 years old, lives very close by and we see her often ... the children prefer to go to her home to study in a quiet atmosphere for their exams. She is very alert, still lives on her own, and last summer she drove by herself in her own car all the way to our house in France."

Of his family, Jean-Philippe says, we consisted of six children, of which four of us became musicians.

In speaking of his work with his brother André, Jean-Philippe says, "it was a wonderful time. I directed 12 DVDs and I am very proud of my brother. I decided to stop because I missed my children so much. He and I don't have contact very often, for we both are very busy. André did not yet know about the release of my book. I decided to tell him after my presentation. It is a good book for his grandchildren now ...

Thank you to Ineke for translating and sending this to us.

André Rieu Tops Hot Tour Rankings

Billboard.com November 12, 2009 by Bob Allen

Dutch violinist André Rieu tops the Hot Tour rankings with more than $32 million in ticket sales reported from (Aug. 28 to Nov. 1) on his 30th Anniversary Tour currently on the road in Europe. Totals from venues in Australia, New Zealand, Germany and the Netherlands were reported during the past week with the highest-reported gross coming from the Amsterdam Arena. With ticket sales topping $10 million from two shows, Rieu and the Johann Strauss Orchestra played to 55,502 of his native countrymen. The Classical artist has been touring throughout the year and ranks as one of the top-grossing tours of 2009.

Click on link to read full article: ►Billboard's Hot Tours

Limburg Medal of Honor For André Rieu

André Rieu Received The Medal of Honor From Limburg

Limburg Medal for André Rieu MAASTRICHT ~ André Rieu, on Tuesday received from the province of Limburg, the medal of honor with accompanying certificate. Rieu received the medal of honor for his merits as a Musical Ambassador for Limburg. Governor Leon Frissen presented the award in the studio of the Rieu Group in Maastricht.

The Maastricht Citizen is celebrating his 30-year anniversary as a musician. The great breakthrough of Rieu and his Johann Strauss Orchestra took place in 1994 when the Second Waltz became a huge success. Frissen called Rieu a gifted musician, violinist, conductor, arranger and entertainer, but also an entrepreneur with guts to make his dream a reality.

"He represents Limburg Nationally and Internationally in an excellent manner. No other Limburger comes even close to him in this very special way'', said Frissen. Rieu and his orchestra travel around the world and sold millions of CDs and DVD's. His production company has approximately 150 employees with a turnover of tens of millions of euros. (Reuters) ... Thanks to John for the Translation!

André Rieu "Live in Sydney" 2009

"André’s Australian Adventure" now available as of November 6. A film crew captured the month long journey of the spectacular André Rieu World Stadium Tour, complete with a life size replica of Schoenbrunn Castle and sold out concerts across Australia and has condensed this into five 25 minute fun filled episodes.

Airing on prime-time TV in Holland, this series was the most watched entertainment program in the Netherlands earlier this year. Now for the first time, André invites Australians to join him on this special behind the-scenes journey, from the moment he lands at Melbourne airport through the entire tour. Witness the backstage fun, the tears and a very large group of Europeans adapting to a hot Australian Summer! And look closely, because if you were at any of Andre’s Australian concerts, personal appearances or functions, you may well appear in this DVD.

Release in December comes ‘André Rieu – Live In Sydney’. Filmed in October 2009 during Andre Rieu’s triumphant Australian return, this DVD features all of André’s famous trademarks – glorious music, beautiful costumes, enthralled audiences and plenty of wonderful surprise guests including Australia’s best-known radio personality Alan Jones and the first lady herself, Dame Edna Everage. The music from ‘André Rieu ~ 'Live In Sydney’ will also be available on 2CD.

André's Australian Adventure’ DVD – Available November 6

André Live In Sydney’ DVD and 2CD – Available December 6

Our Thanks To Universal Music For This

Carmen Monarcha with André Rieu in Australia

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Carmen in Australia by John

John's been sending me some of his pictures from Australia as he goes through them. I loved these two of Carmen and wanted to put them on here now for everyone to see. We'll put more pictures on soon ... Great Pic's John!!

André Rieu's "Romantic Barn" and More!!

Colin and His Aunt With André in Newcastle

Early in the year my Aunt asked if I would take her to André's Newcastle Concert, apart from our trip to Maastricht we had no further plans of travelling overseas again so I purchased "A Day with André" tickets for October 19th.

We arrived at the Entertainment Centre at 4:30pm to meet up with the rest of our group, a total of 32, around 4.45pm we were ushered into the concert area where André was conducting sound checks with the orchestra, tenors and sopranos and on completion, we were moved to the dining room for a lovely 3 course dinner and drinks (you name it) with Richard Wilkins as the compare, introducing our surprise guest ~ KERSTIN!!

Kerstin informed us of Pierre and Eefje's twin girls "Lieke and Linde" being born prematurely on the 13th and had this day been moved. She also advised us that the Schoenbrunn Castles were not going to Brazil in 2009/2010 and would not be used again until 2012 (where?).

At 7:45pm we were escorted to our seats for our delightful concert which we have all heard about from many people, so no need to say more. We waltzed to The Blue Danube and later moved down the front for the encores. During ADIEU, I mimicked all the movements of the sopranos which produced laughter from Mirusia, Carmen and several of the JSO members, many comments were made backstage that they had never before seen someone having so much fun!!

After the concert we moved backstage where the orchestra were having refreshments. Photos with André was first on the agenda, which of course was one of the highlights of the night. After the photo shoots were complete we all were free to mingle with the orchestra, socialising, chatting and taking photos etc.

The Mission: I had obtained a large poster of André promoting his CD "You'll Never Walk Alone" at his Mother's Day trip to Sydney, of which I required an autograph. An opportunity presented itself as André was sitting at a table with 8 or 9 of the orchestra members, opposite him was Arthur. Speaking in a low voice I asked "will the boss sign this??" [the poster was rolled up at this stage] I moved to Arthur's side, he asked what did I want signed. Unrolling the poster he pushed it in front of André, and asked "sign this please". André signed it, mission achieved.

The next step ~ my concert shirt. I moved amongst the orchestra with my black pen obtaining autographs, this started back in Maastricht with Mireille the drummer being the first, some were reluctant to put black ink on the shirt and others saying "don't wash it", it had already been washed after returning home from Maastricht. Captured almost everyone with the shirt being signed front & back.

We received our autographed photo plus a lovely leather case with "André Rieu" on the front and a bottle of wine , Cabernet Shiraz with André on the label ~ "Made in Australia". In conclusion, a fabulous night ended with leaving the Entertainment Centre on midnight ... my comment was ... "almost as good as Maastricht" ... Colin

André Rieu DVD Set "Allemaal André" (Everything André)

"ALLEMAAL ANDRÉ ~ EVERYTHING ANDRÉ "

*5-Disc Boxed Set of Musical and Personal Video of The Greatest Artist of The Netherlands and Beyond ... Release Date: November 6, 2009

DVD 1: Full of Wonderful TV Moments DVD 2: 90 minutes Documentary about his life, made by Ivo Niehe DVD 3: En route to New York (the Road Soap of 6 episodes) DVD 4: The Fairy Tale André (preparations for a unique concert in De Efteling in 6 episodes) DVD 5: Adventures in Australia (the dream come true in Australia in 6 episodes)

*This is the DVD Set that André was promoting yesterday. It is not released with English Subtitles yet and is only available in the Netherlands so far, but here is the Trailer for it and it's fun to watch! Let's hope it comes out in the Boutique soon with the English subtitles! Click on link to ►Watch Promo Video for "Everything André"

The Musical Worlds of Linda Custers (from André Rieu)

"The Musical Worlds of Linda Custers"

Maastricht resident Linda Custers plays (amongst others)' fiddle' with the Limburg Medieval Reincarnatus which she performs on stage with a tight leather suit. One day later she plays the violin in the Orchestra of André Rieu, dressed in a baroque style gown. Both music groups have an International Career and as different as they are, Linda would not miss playing in either one of them. Click on the link to read the full article on ....... ►Linda Custers

Thanks to Ineke for Translating and Sending this article to us!

Photos of André Rieu's Twin Granddaughters!

Introducing The "Rieu Twins" Lieke and Linde

They just showed these pictures on a Dutch News TV Station about 30 minutes ago and Ruud and Ineke sent them to me right away ... Nothing more to say other than ... "SO CUTE!!!" :) ... Click on link to see the ►News Broadcast With Twins Pics on Ineke and Ruud's Site with the English Subtitles put in for us!

André Rieu Fans Downunder Head Home ...

John and Bobbie Downunder

As we start our preparations for our trip home, I thought I'd get a little line off. We've had an unforgetable trip "down under". Something we will never forget, and we made a promise to return.

We've met some awsome fan friends and the people are just fantastic. What an experience this has been. Now it's time to start packing......

John and Bobbie

►John's Pictures From Australia

André Rieu Concerts and Friends in Melbourne!

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Concerts and Friendships Downunder by Jann

It was the best night of all,we clapped and clapped, swayed, hummed and enjoyed every note that was played, again there were many, many couples up dancing to the Blue Danube and then it was "mosh-pit" time and we were off.

We were joined by Liz, Berna, Dee, Mrs Ed and Vicki, again we sang at the tops of our voices and our international friends not only joined in through Waltzing Matilda and the other Aussie songs but also our National Anthem ... 10/10 to them all. The "mosh-pit" was crowded each night but tonight it was "SIMPLY THE BEST" ... Cheers, Jann

►Click here to read the full Article and Photo's

Photo's by Adele and Maurice

André Rieu, Richard Wilkins Melbourne's Derby Day

2009 Victoria Derby Day in Melbourne

New best mates, Nine's Today personality Richard Wilkins and violinist, composer André Rieu, hung out at the Lexus marquee on *Derby Day.

Aside from Bingle, the other big winners of the day were the small faction of NSW Detectives who infiltrated the marquee. Clearly cultured types, they observed violinist André Rieu walking by and politely asked if they may take a photo for their collection. Rieu agreed.

However, it quickly emerged Rieu was not quite the fan of Australian customs as his time here might suggest. As the police boys put out their paws for a handshake introduction, Rieu reeled back in what was taken as genuine horror, clenching his hand into a fist so it could not be held.

It seems the customary firm Australian handshake is a no-no for a man who plays a $2million (2???) Stradivarius. Perhaps his hands were now bruised from the constant brutal handshaking.

*Derby Day is like our Kentucky Derby events here. This was taken from an article on it in the Sunday Telegraph today. It was the only part on André in the article. You can read the whole article if you want here in ►The Sunday Telegraph

André Rieu Melbourne, Australia Concert Photos

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Click on the link to see some photos that Theresa took at the Melbourne Concert. Thank you Theresa Z. ... ►Photos of Melbourne From Theresa