The Emotional Comeback of André Rieu

The Emotional Comeback of André Rieu

Weekend: July 3, 2012: His new life: more rest,  healthier food and working out. 

André Rieu is fully back. After having been disabled for months due to illness, last week he performed again on "his" Vrijthof Square in Maastricht. It was a comeback full of emotions, with the audience as well as with the orchestra conductor and his family. André has become, since he fell ill for the second time, a different person. 

André's comeback in his hometown of Maastricht, where his success started long ago, was full of uncertainties. What started as the flu, turned out to be a serious infection on his equilibrium ."Suddenly the room started to spin" he said. Just like the first time, he had to rest. In the beginning André thought it would have ended after a few weeks, but his recovery lasted longer. During this forced rest period, he decided to change his life. He went on a diet, started doing sports and delegated more business tasks. He worried a lot about cancellation of his concerts and disappointing his fans. He also felt responsibility to his almost hundred employees who were out of work now. 

Rieu described his frustrations: "I have to take a rest now, to be able to continue my job later. Due to his new way of living, André lost weight. "I now found the balance between enjoying life and living healthier. I feel great. I started to work out every day led by a personal trainer. Three months ago I started running with a heart rate meter. As soon as my heart beat was 140 per minute, I started to walk again. In the beginning that was after 2 minutes. Now I can run for 45 minutes. I eat differently. Two times per week white meat, two times white fish, one time red meat, one time oily fish and one time sinning. I already lost 9 kilos (20 pounds), I feel reborn.

DISASTER 

Fortunately enough has been left from the "old" Rieu, to turn his performances into a party, like always. The concerts on the Vrijthof will be the only open air concerts left. Rieu loves the beauty of the square and he feels a special bond with the residents of Maastricht, who discovered his talents during the Hieringbiete (eat herring) parties on the day after Carnival, when André played with his Maastricht Salon Orchestra. After that Rieu became a world star who sells more concert tickets per year than Madonna or Lady Gaga. Watching his agenda, you can see performances all over the world in enormous venues. In July there will be 12 concerts in Sao Paulo, Brazil. Next South Africa, France, Switzerland and Germany. In November Rieu will be in Belgium and Holland and in December he'll perform fifteen concerts in England and Ireland. 

To check his health, a doctor and his personal trainer will travel with him. His wife Marjorie and son Pierre support him very much and when possible work out with André. The conductor knows for sure that he can avoid more disasters with his new way of living.

MAYOR 

André was touched to perform again on the Vrijthof with his own orchestra to his own audience. The emotions were also felt by Albert Verlinde (reporter RTL Boulevard) en Onno Hoes, the Mayor of Maastricht. They were in the audience the very first concert and they enjoyed the concert , the performance of the Maastrichter Staar Choir, and the guest appearance of Father Abraham. Onno Hoes could also welcome in the audience the former Mayor of Maastricht: Gerd Leers. Mr.Leers was welcomed by the Maastricht audience with applause and cheers. Also secretary of State Mr. Bleker was present with his partner.

John is still on vacation and we want to Thank Ineke for sending this and Translating it!