ANDRÉ RIEU November Chapeau Column

EXTRA
André Rieu BUSY

  MONTHS

Chapeau Magazine November: It is good thing that my fitness level is right at the top, and where I keep it every day, because it is going to be extra busy in the coming months. And all that, while we have just returned from an exciting and very successful tour of Australia and New Zealand. A very appreciative audience, and now we are already preparing for the next concert series. At the end of November, for the first time, a concert in Turkey (Istanbul) and then, almost the entire month of December we are on tour in England, Scotland and Ireland. I am really looking forward to those, because the English audience is very enthusiastic. The concerts are all nearly sold out and are usually conducted in large venues such as the Wembley Arena in London. "You can now not only use our web site to book tickets, but you can also book hotel overnights, city tours and many other cozy undertakings."

In January our huge tour through Germany starts, which will run until mid-February and then immediately afterwards we will go to France. We start each year with a new program New Year's Day in Cologne. In the past year we did a lot of extra television in Germany. Two years ago I had to cancel my entire tour because I was sick. So now I would like to show that we are all better again, and that we like to maintain our long and intensive relationship with the German public. In the first half of 2014 there are also a lot of new countries on the program such as Finland, Latvia and Poland. We are very curious as to how the responses there will be. Really exciting! The preparations for the Far East including China and Singapore are fully underway, and also again for South America, which now also includes Columbia, in addition to Chili, Brazil and Argentina.

Actually here at the castle, which is the heart of organization, there are always all sorts of projects and tours being planned. Sometimes a year in advance. It has to be; otherwise your planning cannot be as it is suppose to be. And in every country they have different needs. As an entrepreneur you have to be creative and I am pleased that our youngest son Pierre always comes up with new ideas. He has now started "André Rieu travel", especially for the Vrijthof concerts. You can now not only use our web site to book tickets but you can also book hotel overnights, city tours and many other cozy undertakings."

The concerts for Maastricht next year will undoubtedly be something very special, since it will already be the tenth time we perform there. While it started out to be just a onetime idea. Last summer’s concert has recently already been released on DVD under the title of "André Rieu and Friends" including all the guest artists who performed there: Jermaine Jackson, Trini Lopez, the Jostiband, Carlos Bueno, André van Duin and the young trumpeter Romano, which in the dark days of December can be a beautiful reminder of the summer.

Early in January we will play again close to home, in Hasselt. Rocco Granata will perform with us there, something I am very much looking forward to. I recently met him at the premiere of the film "Marina". He is a very nice man. I play his song with pleasure at every concert as an encore. Great music, full of Italian zest. The television series for Sky TV in England is currently running with many reactions. TROS has purchased the series so that shortly it will be seen here too. During the Christmas holidays the TROS will air our Christmas special again. I am very much looking forward to those days, at home around the Christmas tree with my wife, children and grandchildren. One does not need any more in order to remain happy.

André Rieu

Thank you to Ineke for sending this and to John for Translating it.