André Rieu's Six Million Dollar Set in Australia

250 People and Five Days To Build André Rieu’s $6m Set

13th November 2008
About 250 people will need five days to assemble the $6 million, 700 tonne stage set for Andre Rieu’s Perth concert, which will be held at Subiaco Oval next Saturday.
The November 22 show, titled A Romantic Night in Vienna, has been described as an event not to be missed. BLOG: Get set for Andre Rieu’s style
Rieu’s production team required 220 shipping containers to store and transport the elaborate set, said to be the largest transportable set in the world, from Holland to Australia.
The equipment also includes 150sqm of video monitors and 200 high fidelity speakers managed by computers to control the tones of the classical music.
The 125m wide, 30m deep and 34m high set is a replica of a full size Viennese palace, and has two ice-rinks, a fountain and a ballroom.
To build the palace, aluminium panels were stored in order of assembly in wheeled trolleys and each panel is lifted into place by a crane onto a pair of rails.
As each panel is lifted, the next panel is attached to the bottom of the upper one with metal locking pins. The process is repeated until the palace front is complete.
Dubbed the King of the Waltz, Rieu will be accompanied by his Johann Strauss Orchestra and Choir, soloists, the Platinum Tenors, the Vienna Debutantes, the Vienna Figure Skating Association and a golden coach complete with six white horses.
More than 25,000 tickets have been sold for the Perth concert. Rieu performs his first Australian show in Melbourne tonight.
PERTHLISA CALAUTT