André Rieu Chapeau Magazine February 2011

Another Rhythm

Chapeau Magazine Feb. 2011 ~ The year 2010 has been rather strange, since I was unable to perform for three months. I was so used to the high paced rhythm of the many performances, and also the many other activities associated with them, or I rather should say, activities that were connected with them.

That rhythm has changed rather drastically. I am planning to perform as many concerts as before, but in the past months I have rejected many associated activities. I give a lot less interviews, am less involved with activities in the city of Maastricht, and a lot of business aspects I leave to my son Pierre. Because of the necessity I see in it. My body has been very clear to me: I can no longer throw my energy around like I used to do. Especially on the days when I am performing, I have to insure sufficient rest. This is very logical, that when you are performing in a concert of about three hours, it is like being in a major sport competition. It is physically very demanding. A soccer player will not involve himself just hours before a very important match with all sorts of very strenuous activities. On the contrary, he rests his body in good preparation. While in all those previous years before a concert, I attended to all sorts of business meetings or other mandatory tasks, and had no prior indication of ill effects, so I continued. It is good that this signal came, and now I was required to rest for some months. Some people will be disappointed that they no longer can invite me to meetings or other commitments, but there is no choice. I keep my new rhythm, and it suits me well.

My first tour after my recovery was quite tough. It had been planned well in advance and could not be changed. First we performed concerts in Brussels and Antwerp and immediately afterwards did a tour of no less than three weeks in Mexico, America and Canada. That was actually too long. And I will no longer do that. Two weeks on tour from now on will be the maximum. But it was inevitable and luckily everything went very well. In Mexico we played four evenings for a sold out crowd. Every evening had ten thousand enthusiastic Mexicans. That was like taking a warm bath. In back of the stage, there was even a Maria altar. Many an artist kneels down there and prays prior to performing. But I just passed that by. I have to do it all myself anyway. The itinerary was a bit of a jumble. That was because we had to do a make-up concert in Toronto, which was cancelled this past summer due to a huge demonstration against the G-20 top conference. The concert hall was therefore simply just not accessible. Pierre accompanied me the entire tour. That was very nice. He functions as a sparring partner and support column. And together during that period, and via the webcam, we watched his children take their first steps.

This year there are a lot of interesting tours on the program. Up until February, we are touring primarily through Europe, just as always, in March we’ll return to South Africa, and in April we can finally go to England. That too had to be postponed, and the interest there has only been growing in the past few months. In May-June we will go to Australia and New Zealand and in June we will be in the ArenA in Amsterdam. And then in July, we’ll be on the Vrijthof again. The end of August will find us in Brazil, which has been moved up. It seems that the people there are very impatient in anticipation of our arrival. Someone over there opened a website, primarily to get me to go there. On that alone, 27000 people reacted. Unbelievable!!.

"Hello, I am not dead yet"

Marjorie and I together have created a new program which we have been playing since the beginning of this year. With lots of new pieces and compositions. Very nice. And then I am actually busy with a new film. At any rate, they are busy with it in Hollywood. Leon de Winter has written a wonderful script. He lives in Los Angeles and has visited us a few times. I composed very special movie music and Marjorie wrote very nice lyrics. In the coming months, de Winter will be speaking with production companies. He has produced several movies already. When there are enough financial guarantees, the project can get started this year. It will become a sort of a fairy tale movie. De Winter first wanted to make a movie about me, but I told him: "I am not dead yet". And I do not want to play a particular role either, but just myself. He has adapted the script to that. I am very curious.

André

Thanks to Ineke for sending this and John ©Translating it