Just for fun ...

André Rieu is the most romantic man of The Netherlands

Thanks to Ineke for sending the newspaper clipping from the Telegraaf.

André Rieu Musician or Mountebank?

André Rieu Musician or Mountebank?

 

Martin Buzacott - February 10, 2015: He's a byword for kitsch, a shibboleth among the classical cognoscenti, but André Rieu is also one of those rare classical musician who can fill stadiums and reach an entirely new audience. Is he just a musical showman, or are we underestimating him? From Australia, Martin Buzacott explores the phenomenon that is André Rieu.

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Thanks to Ineke for sending this

André Rieu earns more than ever before

Castle Out of The Scaffolding

André Rieu earns more than ever before

From Weekend January 2015, by: Boris van Zonneveld

Expensive restoration completed. A few years ago André Rieu avoided total bankruptcy, but now he is back fiddling in full swing. The gains of the Maastricht Waltz King have increased to roughly six million a year. That makes him one of the top earners in the Dutch showbiz. Nevertheless, sacrifices had to also be made. A portion of those millions was used to renovate his castle "Huis, de Torentjes" (House, the small Turrets) on a grand scale. Now it looks more attractive than ever.

More now than ever before André Rieu is the pride of the Netherlands in the music world. His agenda for 2015 is filled to the top with performances in places like Mexico, Sweden, Denmark, Romania, Poland, Hungary, the Czech Republic, Switzerland, France, and Germany and of course he is not likely to forget the Vrijthof in Maastricht. Every year from all over the world, half a million people visit Rieu’s concerts there. So his concerts can be placed on the same level as those from big pop stars such as Elton John, Barbara Streisand, and teenage idol Justin Bieber.

And financially André Rieu is better off now. That was sorely needed, because six years ago he was on the brink of total bankruptcy. He had to borrow 34million Euros to stay afloat, mortgaging everything he owned in his business to the bank, including his very expensive Stradivarius and his name. With the repayment of his million Euros debt, all is well now, and since after he reorganized his company for the better, the violinist earns more now than ever before. He recently published his earnings for 2013, and that revealed a large profit of 5.7 million Euros. The year prior to 2013 his profits were 5 million Euros and the year prior to that 3.3 million. He has never earned more and to think this is all clear profit, even after paying all the taxes. To achieve this, Rieu really had to cut costs. So in the last few years he had to say good-bye to 21 employees, shrinking his workforce in three years from 115 to 94.

His Own Little Neighborhood

Previously the star violinist had a hand in doing the craziest things. For his performances in Europe an entourage of thirteen fully filled freight trucks followed him of which three hauled only the chandeliers and carpets. That was so as to create the proper ambiance in the concert halls. During his tour through America, a bus laden with only fitness equipment rode along. He also copied the Viennese castle "Schönbrunn. The dragging along of all those items not directly related to his music, took huge amounts of money, but that did not keep the violinist awake at night, because he never did it for the money. Under pressure from the impending bankruptcy, another critical look was taken at the spending pattern of the violinist and choices had to be made. The Rieu caravan primarily travelled around the world on borrowed money, and with the last one, he and his wife Marjorie financed that one with all their private possessions. They were buried under a mortgage of millions. He borrowed 2.5 million to build a new studio, and around his castle "de Torentjes" in Maastricht he purchased numerous building so as to create his own little neighborhood, including homes for his two sons.

 Now that the last few years’ business has again been profitable, and Rieu is earning millions like water, money also became available for his greatest possession, his castle, for a drastic renovation. That is very necessary every few years since "Huis, de Torentjes" is almost 500 years old. It dates back to 1526. Up to the square tower on top of the roof, the castle was encased in scaffolding. A few years ago they discovered that part of the St. Peter’s mountain, where Rieu resides, was at one time part of the sandstone pits. During sewer works on André’s street, remnants of a tunnel and railway tracks, an underground sandstone wall, a gutter, building components and two fragments of a gravestone from 1734 were found.

Vomiting Sounds

In 2015 the castle again appears in a spick and span condition, fully restored to its former glory. Since the castle is a monument, all the old details must be maintained every hundred years or so, thereby not changing the outer appearance. Of course this was taken into account with this large scale renovation. It is expected that the millions will continue to flood into Rieu’s company for the next several years. And then to think that in the beginning of his career it took him years to land a record contract. The young André was successful and performed mostly in the Netherlands, Belgium and Germany, but no one wanted to release his music. "It took me seven years to land a record deal" he once said. The first record boss with whom he had an appointment, asked him; "What do you play? Waltzes? Then he made a sound as if he had to vomit. He really did that" André told. But I kept going back to the record companies and after seven years, someone finally listened. The last record boss saw something good there, since in the meantime André Rieu has sold over thirty million records and DVD’s worldwide. 

Thanks to Ineke for the article and John’s ©translation 

Highest Carnival Award for André Rieu

Highest Carnival Award for André Rieu

Maastricht Feb. 5, 2015: A new - and at the same time a very high award from the Tempeleers - has been awarded to André Rieu on Thursday morning. 't Joonk Leech,( New or young Light) is what this jewel is called, and dates from an ancient tradition of the Momus Society, the forerunner of today's Maastricht carnival.

The comparison with the Trichter, granted by the municipality of Maastricht to individuals or institutions on social or cultural areas of particular value to the capital of Limburg, can safely be made.

With son Pierre in attendance, a contingent of Tempeleers, Garderizzjemint, Kachelpiepers (Stove Pipes) and a battery of photographers and film crews, all watched as Prince Odin hung  the decoration around the neck of the most famous Maastricht Citizen ever. Prior to that official moment, Tempeleer president Henk de Jong read André Rieu's merits. A long list of special performances and moments.

Rieu, who together with the Johann Strauss Orchestra, is ready to depart for Berlin, told the audience that as a Mestreechter citizen he was very delighted with 't Joonk Leech award. He once again emphysised the point that music brings people together. "You see that during my concerts, but just as well as with carnival." He added: "You can very easily compare one of our concerts with one of the basic principles of carnival. During both events, there are no ranks or classes. Everyone is equal and together everyone is enjoying the event"...

"It Joonk Leech" was the highest distinction during the Momus reign. At that time the Momus members maintained close ties with the Jesters Academy in Dülken, Germany, and the Momus Society incorporated

a variety of the Academy's symbols."

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Thanks to John for the Translation