Classical phenomenon André Rieu lands at #2 on Billboard

Classical phenomenon André Rieu lands at #2 on Billboard’s Traditional Classical chart with Love in Venice, marking the 20^th time that Rieu has earned a Top 10 album on that chart.  The album also debuted at #5 on Billboard’s overall Classical chart.

US BILLBOARD: Released on November 3, 2014, Love in Venice features Italian classics such as “O Sole Mio,” “Volare,” “That’s Amore” and “Santa Lucia”; the famous “Barcarole” by Jacques Offenbach; the “Lagoon Waltz” by Johann Strauss; and the Toselli Serenade, all performed in Rieu’s unique and unforgettable way.  The album also includes three of Rieu’s own compositions – the title track, “Bella Tarantella,” and “La Gondola,” marking the first time the maestro has recorded and included his own compositions on an album release.

**Additionally, beginning Thanksgiving weekend, U.S. television stations will rebroadcast Rieu’s 2013 Christmas special, Home for the Holidays, featuring Rieu and his Johann Strauss Orchestra, together with soloists and a choir, performing 26 holiday classics. Filmed in his hometown of Maastricht, Holland, this special was first broadcast in the U.S. last year to great fan acclaim.

Initial markets to schedule 2014 broadcasts include Atlanta, GA; Baton Rouge, LA; Chattanooga, TN; Chicago, IL; Cleveland-Akron, OH; Dallas-Ft. Worth, TX; Hartford & New Haven, CT; Las Vegas, NV; Little Rock, AR; Milwaukee, WI; Monterey-Salinas, CA; Montgomery-Selma, AL; New York, NY; Norfolk & Richmond, VA; Orlando, FL; San Antonio, TX; San Francisco, CA; and Tampa, FL, among others, with more being added daily. Check local listings for complete broadcast information.

A native of the Netherlands, André Rieu is the world’s best-selling classical musician and has brought about an international revival in classical music with his spellbinding musical extravaganzas.  André owns the biggest private orchestra in the world and has sold more than 40 million albums and DVDs.  This year marks the 20^th anniversary of his breakthrough album Strauss & Co, which launched his stratospheric rise in 1994. Since then, he has received more than 400 Platinum and 171 Gold Awards, and he has more than 1.4 million Facebook fans.

In the UK, no other violinist has made such an impact on the charts. André first made chart history in 2010 when his album, Forever Vienna, reached No.2 in the UK Pop Charts as well as going straight in at No.1 in the Classical Charts.  Love in Venice has today made a monumental return to the UK Pop Album Chart as his new orchestral album enters at No. 4, competing with youngsters Ed Sheeran, Calvin Harris and only just behind Taylor Swift – an extraordinary result for an album of music mostly written in the 1800s. The album is also No. 1 in the Classical Chart.

Every year, André, his Johann Strauss Orchestra, chorus and international soloists travel across the world, performing about 100 concerts in front of an audience of one million people. His tours have been on Billboard’s Top 10 for the past ten years.

André and his Johann Strauss Orchestra embark return to the UK next month for an extensive arena tour, including two nights at Wembley.  His previous UK tour, November-December 2013, helped Rieu rise to the top of Billboard’s Hot Winter Tours chart, beating out contemporary artists such as One Direction, Mariah Carey, Jennifer Lopez and Phish for the #1 spot during the same time period.