Coronavirus Hits André Rieu's Company Hard!

 

Corona hits André Rieu's company hard: 

"Since March we haven't earned a penny"

Like a true optimist, André Rieu (70) believes that he is only halfway through in his life. Corona has hit his company hard, but that doesn't get him down. A conversation, at home in Maastricht, about an unwanted oak tree, his Stradivarius and the Vrijthof.

From Algemeen Dagblad: by Alexander van Eenennaam: The sun shines bright, there is coffee with vlaai (Limburg pastry), we are sitting in his spacious, paradisiacal courtyard and yet André Rieu says: "Never buy a castle." He laughs about that, but the orchestra leader does not regret the purchase he made a quarter of a century ago together with his wife. He points off into the distance. “See those people walking there? Marjorie and I walked that path in 1994, it must have been around September. "Imagine us in that little castle," I said to her. She replied: "Then you still have to sell a lot of records."

The fact that the king of the waltz owns his own castle in Maastricht is a fact invariably well received by the American press, where fairy tales in line with the American Dream are just as enjoyable as Rieu does this afternoon with his gooseberries, meringue and whipped cream vlaai.

The hefty slices come from the local bakery in Maastricht, they are Rieu's favorite. "Here they also call it the André Rieu cake, "he says while poking another piece of meringue with his pastry fork. "You know what they are, kroonsele?" He asks rhetorically. “Gooseberries. The sourness  in combination with the cream and fluffed egg whites, they really pick you up."

It is no coincidence that we are at home with André Rieu.  he performs with his orchestra for three weeks every summer in the center of his hometown Maastricht.   he then fills the Vrijthof with fans of his waltz music for more than ten evenings . Logically, the immense square will remain empty this year, and Rieu spends more time at home than he would like, no matter how fairytale his shelter may be.

Baking

"I started baking day one of the corona time," he says. “We played our first concert of our US tour in Tampa, Florida, and right during intermission, Trump addressed the country and told people to stop going to massive events. Then I knew enough. Three of my employees have been busy the entire night to book tickets. We immediately had to return with 110 people. On my first day at home I made cream puffs. Have a look," he says, while searching for the photos on his smart phone.

“I liked to watch soccer, but that was no longer on. And if I have to watch what my wife likes on TV, we would long be separated. I started watching videos on YouTube, there I came across the videos of Mr. Cees Holtkamp. ""

The Amsterdam baker has made a series of baking films which inspired Rieu. “I baked something almost every day. My son Pierre and the grandchildren live a short distance away. And so I walked with my bakings to their house every day, because of the corona I was only allowed to give them through the window. Yet that was a daily moment of happiness. No, I haven't tried gooseberries with foam yet, but it will come. It's fairly easy."

You are forced to stay home, but so are all the people in your company.

“Yes, 120 permanent employees. Who can do almost nothing at the moment. I welcome the government's support and hope that it will continue through the fall. ""

And if not?

“Then I probably will not survive it in the end. Everyone understands that I cannot keep paying all my people while nothing is being earned. We haven't earned a penny since March. ""

Does that keep you awake at night?

“No, because I always sleep well and am an optimist. I was born on a Sunday, and it comes from that, I think. But during the day I sometimes wonder how this will continue. I still have some meat on the bones, that's why we can still sit here and eat a cake, but it is going the wrong direction at a tremendous speed. If this continues for another year, then I will be bankrupt. And 95 percent of all entertainment companies along with me."

Why don't you perform on a smaller scale, solo if necessary?

“That is not an option. And not fair to my orchestra. We all will go on together or not at all. And if we have to close down, afterwards we will still go on. I always say that I will live to be 140 years old, I mean that too. I'm 70 now, so I'm halfway through. So now I think: well, it has been a tough year, but there are 69 more years to come."

While Rieu speaks, the bell of the St. Peter's Church strikes half past three. The church is located opposite "Huis De Torentjes", which is the official name of Rieu's National Monument.

You said that you and your wife dreamed of this castle 26 years ago. How did you manage to buy it?

“As a child I fantasized about it when I read about Castle Molensloot

in the Tintin comics. I mentioned the comment my wife made during 

that walk that I still had a lots of records to sell. Well, the next year I 

sold a million of my "Strauss and Co" album. Since then nobody has 

been able to match me in the Netherlands. That was 1995, I played in the Amsterdam Arena during  halftime of the Ajax - Bayern Munich match. With all those flags. I believe I sold 100,000 CDs the next day, After that year we were able to buy this castle."

Why do you advise others not to buy a castle?

He laughs. “Because you first have to put 30 million in it which you won't see any more. Heating, the roof, foundations, walls, pipes, you name it. This property is built out of marl, very soft and brittle. There is no material which is worse."

And then it is also a national monument, which you may not just renovate.

“Funny that you should say that, because I had a lot of hassles with that. I was not allowed to fix it up. A little man came and looked, he said: only the affected bricks. But all those originally yellow bricks were black and I didn't want to turn my house into a checkerboard. He stood his ground. Yet I tackled it and made it beautiful. We don't live in Moscow here, do we? I'm still waiting for whoever is going to throw me in jail for it. It looks beautiful, doesn't it? I only want to get rid of that oak tree. ""

Let me guess: no permit?

“Well, I have requested one so many times. It's an old tree, maybe a hundred years old. But just a seedling and a piece of crap, it is totally lopsided. In addition, it is in the way of that chestnut tree, which would get a lot more space without that oak. But you really shouldn't remove such a tree without a permit."

Being at home a lot takes some getting used to for Rieu. Normally he travels the world, this year, in addition to the US, Chile and Israel were planned. He built a million-dollar company, which now is in dire straits for the second time. In 2008 he overextended himself by reconstructing the life-size Austrian castle "Schönbrunn" as a traveling set. Rieu literally thought very big and almost went

bankrupt.

"We had 250 people on the set, but also another 250 to re-erect that castle every time. There was no profit in that. I ended up with a 30 million euro debts. During that time I did lie awake. I still remember the bank's visit very vividly. We sat in here and they looked around: what all can we seize? Fortunately, one of them said: let him play, that way he will at least earn something back. A year later I was 20 million in the positive. Nevertheless, it took the bank until 2018 to release me, which was disappointing to me. Even my Stradivarius had to ba pawned."

Which is worth millions?

“That's right. When I'm on the road, someone carries it in a suitcase so that I won't forget it. And every evening he goes upstairs with me to the bedroom. But does not lay in bed with me,  you know."

Who is allowed to touch that violin?

Nobody. Well, my wife is allowed to. But it is and remains a violin, which has to be played. I'm also just jump and dance with it on the Vrijthof. No, I won't drop it, I've been playing for 65 years and have never dropped a violin out of my hands.Whether it's worth ten Euros or millions."

You do not have to take the Stradivarius to the Vrijthof this year.

“That hurts. Every year we record the Vrijthof concert and show it as a film in more than 3000 cinemas in 60 countries. This year we cannot do that either, now we have made a cinema special with highlights from the past fifteen years. André van Duin presents and speaks with me about those moments. In the beginning you see images of empty streets and squares in Maastricht, while I play "Wishing you were somehow here again." Phew, those first ten minutes, I can't look at them. I get very emotional then."

Also because it is on your home turf?

“Yes, I was born in Maastricht, and as a Catholic kid there was this procession every year. I was in the church choir of the Sint Servaes, which is also on the Vrijthof. From the age of five to my eleven, then my voice broke. It's not only a huge loss for us. There are 120,000 people who live here, while 150,000 people spread over those three weeks come and visit my concerts every year. Last year, the municipality of Maastricht calculated that they stand to earn 30 million Euros from my concerts during that period. The hotels, restaurants, cafes are full, shops have triple turnovers. I was amazed, at such a high amounts. All that through music."

So you probably won't have to pay when you and your wife sit down on a terrace on the Vrijthof?

“Funny you should ask that. What do you think?''

I do not think so.

“Well, it does surprises me every time. I don't go there that often, because I hardly get any rest during the summer, but if I order a cup of coffee and a piece of vlaai after an interview: that will be 5 euro 50, Mr. Rieu. Isn't that incredible? Those entrepreneurs earn their money because of me. Feel free to write that down, they can put it in their pockets."

Have you started listening to different music in the corona time?

“I never listen to music. That sounds funny, doesn't it? Above all, I let others enjoy music. I don't know if I can say that yet, but next month we want to release an album with uplifting music, to bring joy. But listen myself? No. Not even in the car. I prefer it to be quiet. Silence is the most beautiful music there is.

Thanks to Ineke and Rob for the article 

And John's LONG Translation!!