It's a Holiday For André Rieu!

Holidays!!

CHAPEAU MAGAZINE by ANDRÉ RIEU: I will have to get used to them, but this summer I really will have a few weeks vacation, for me a strange perception. I will almost have to follow a course. How do you do that, going on holiday?

When I realized last year that I am no longer eighteen and just like everyone else, I have to adhere to all the laws of nature, Marjorie and I agreed that from now on we would take a summer vacation. We will be closed for no less than four weeks. Unheard of.

Actually it seems to be quite normal, but I in fact, have never before experienced anything like that. At least not in the last ten years. Everything became so busy that it just slipped by me. And I really did not have a need for a vacation, at least that's what I thought. I find it all very nice indeed, everything that I do.

But still, it seems that a little relaxation from all the stresses, does a body a world of good. So, I will go and try a little of that too. Although, we're not really going to travel for four weeks while on holiday. I travel myself silly all year around, so you are not doing me any favors with that. To spend a few days in a beautiful city, preferably one where they do not know me, that will be okay.

But as for the rest of the time? No, I'm not going to lay on a beach for weeks on end, I'd be bored to death. No, we can still enjoy ourselves at home, and Marjorie and I will undoubtedly in between still be involved with music. Coming up with new ideas with a glass of wine. But the office will be closed, so the number of phone calls, emails and so on will be less. I wonder what effect that will have on me.

It sure has been a year for me! I'm quite happy that I was able to resume my life and feel great. We just returned from Vienna where we recorded a wonderful special for ZDF in some of the most beautiful locations of that city. It will be broadcast in the fall on a Saturday evening, 2.5 hours long, aired during prime time.

And after the summer we are going to record a Christmas special for ZDF, this time in the caves of Valkenburg. We played there once before for our Queen, and we really enjoyed that. This special will be broadcast on Christmas Eve.

We also have a new CD with for the first time, ballroom music. That wonderful, nostalgic, swooning music. With songs like "Tanz mit mir in den Morgen, Blue Tango and Rot sind die Rosen".

And then the Vrijthof concerts are upon us, as always a high point for the year. And because they are in my own town, the atmosphere is always unique. This time, as a gesture to the Holy Shrine Procession, we have two gospel choirs in our program, one from America and one from South Africa. It will be something very beautiful. And especially for this concert we also have the Russian trio back, who toured around with us for a few years.

Yes, and then as the apotheosis, we'll play the waltz which Sir Anthony Hopkins wrote. That will be really something special. He will especially fly over from America to experience this on the Vrijthof. If someone from Hollywood finds it so special to come to the Vrijthof, then we can be very proud of the most beautiful square in the Netherlands ... André Rieu

Thanks to Ineke for scanning all this for us and John for ©Translating it all into English