André Rieu's Article in "Eigen Bedrijf" Magazine

André Rieu's August Article in "Eigen Bedrijf" Magazine

Creativity, vision, financial acumen and guts are often cited as essential properties for an entrepreneur. I want to add one more to that: improvisational skills. My God, I was a nervous wreck when the Icelandic ash cloud disrupted air traffic. Our forty crew members, responsible for the sets, technology and logistics, were gathered at the gate when they heard that their flight had been canceled. Booking another flight was impossible. No crew, no concert. Furthermore, I and my entire orchestra also had to find a way to Cape Town. In short, our South African tour was in jeopardy.

It is fascinating to see what happens next. The entire "Rieu-management" gets on the phone. Friends and acquaintances become involved, one Googles, calls are made and negotiated. Great euphoria when finally a charter of a DC 9 for the next day's departure from Barcelona is accomplished. Quickly four buses with the women's clothing and the microphones are arranged and will depart ahead of us towards the Spanish coast. Everyone can breathe easy again. But then suddenly the Barcelona airport is closed and our DC 9 is allowed to depart from Maastricht! The latter is good news since the sooner we get to South Africa, the better off we will be. But a new logistical dilemma presents itself: how do we get the dresses and microphones, which are neatly waiting for us in Barcelona, to South Africa? To resolve this issue some improvisational and organizational skills come into play. Exactly two hours before the start of the concert the last of the materials arrive.

It's amazing what you as a team can accomplish when the need is there. Thanks to some loyal suppliers and partners from our company, people who like to help and entrepreneurs who like to contribute. So we in turn wanted to help three Dutch travel agents who had ninety passengers stranded in Cape Town. Aha, we thought, one and one is two. "Our" DC 9 came over full, but would fly back empty the next day. No problem, I thought, we can bring back a number of passengers. "No problem there," said the representative of the charter company, "we'll do it! For a thousand euros per person." I do not know what you think of that, but that is not the entrepreneurial ethic that I love.

Once home it was a relief to be dining with Benoit Wesly again, a successful Maastricht hotel and restaurant entrepreneur. He told me he was very moved by the TV broadcast - our weekly road soap aired by the TROS - about our performance with the African children's choir. I told him that we are very busy in bringing the children to the Netherlands for the Vrijthof Concerts. "Do they eat?", was his first question and his second was: "Do they have somewhere to sleep? Leave that to me. I'll make sure all their accommodations are taken care off." "Please add yet another essential entrepreneurial characteristic to the list: selflessness. Simply stated since there is happiness in that and is not done for the profits ... André Rieu

Thanks to Ineke for sending this and John for Translating it.