André Rieu: Maastricht Is Heaven!

 André Rieu: Maastricht Is Heaven! 

Chapeau magazine, July–August 2020: For the last 15 years July has been the month in which André Rieu gave his successful concerts on the Vrijthof in Maastricht. Corona has spoiled that for this year. Nevertheless, the world famous orchestra conductor (with CHAPEAU magazine) again returns to the Vrijthof and the rest of the center to speak about his city. The tour is made with journalist Jo Cortenraedt, cameraman Ben Brack and photographer Marcel van Hoorn. In the summer edition of Chapeau Magazine, which will be in stores effective July 1, the most eye-catching parts of the interview, including the tour of the city, will appear. L1 TV will then broadcast "The Week of André Rieu" from 6 to 10 July in a number of special episodes of the program “Limbourgeois”. Each evening, another part of the interview will be aired, as well as the walk through the center of Maastricht. On July 15 and 18, L1 will broadcast a 55-minute compilation with highlights of the Vrijthof concerts of recent years. These episodes can later not only be viewed online at L1, but also on the websites of Maastricht Marketing and the Chapeau Magazine. The social media of the organizations involved, will also be linked to the program during that period. Thanks to this collaboration, a large audience will be reached in Limburg and beyond, and André Rieu is again fully present in Maastricht this year, although in a different way.

Maastricht Celebrates André Rieu In July 

July is now traditionally André Rieu's month in Maastricht. Over the past 15 years, the world-renowned orchestra leader has given over a hundred concerts in his home town, attended by hundreds of thousands of people from all over the world. Unfortunately, due to corona, the 12 planned concerts cannot take place this summer. But Maastricht Marketing still wants André Rieu's "spirit" to roam the city again this year. For this purpose, Chapeau Magazine looked at the multimedia possibilities. 

A large interview with André Rieu was chosen, as well as a walking tour with him through his beloved places in Maastricht. Never before has the most famous resident of the city told so much about his own roots and why he tells on all international stages that he comes from "the most beautiful city" in the world.

To stand in the middle on the Vrijthof is for André Rieu now quite emotional. Normally the large square in the middle of the city is seen to be full with chairs and the stage for his orchestra. Now it's empty. "That gives a feeling of sadness, but that's the way it is. We hope for sure to be here again next year. Such a whole period without performances, I miss it very much. I bake pies at home and keep busy with the grandchildren, but I want to go again that time. I'm sure I'll never retire." In all his performances, from Melbourne to Sao Paulo, Rieu says he is from the most beautiful city in the world, "my hometown, Maastricht." I really mean that too. Everything I say on stage, I mean, because the people take it that precise. When you don't mean what you say, you can't sustain that for forty years. I find Maastricht to be awesome, I was born here. It is a unique city. My success started with the "Heringe Biete." That could only have started in Maastricht, it has to do with a certain atmosphere. Now take the “Preuvenement”. They try to copy that everywhere, but it fails. It is due to the special situation here on the square, the mentality, there is something." 

VRIJTHOF 
The Vrijthof can actually charm him. "Where do you get this? All those terraces around it. And the square itself is empty. In most squares there are statues, not here, that's fine. The plane trees, the atmosphere, everything. I am extremely proud to be a Maastricht resident. As a child, I was a member of the St. Servaas Basilica choir from the age of six to eleven, when my voice broke. I was always allowed in to the procession. The Vrijthof is home for me. The church services were a kind of theatre for me. I was hooked on that. At Easter for example, when the sun shone through those stained glass windows. We were standing in the choir loft, and all those priests in their vestments, ten here, ten there, the incense. Pure theater. That definitely inspired me, it is in my blood. When I'm at the Vrijthof during my concerts for example and I let those dancers all come up, that has to be nice all together. That comes from then”. The buildings according to his taste, are very special, not only the churches, but also the theater and the museum. "All those people who come from abroad to my concerts, can't believe their eyes. They have already seen the Vrijthof more than once on all those DVDs and in the TV shows. When, after so many  years they are standing there themselves, that's one great experience, they're in ecstasy. When Anthony Hopkins was here - not quite an unknown - he said, "Ah, finally." For many people this square is a dream which came true. Many of my concert visitors immediately stay here for a whole week, to really to get to know the city."

BUSY 
Andre Rieu doesn't think it's getting too crowded in Maastricht with tourism. "No, that we should not really exaggerate that. When you look a little around yourself in the world, then Maastricht is still quite peaceful. You cannot compare it to Venice. There, I believe live about 55,000 people, while there are many millions of tourists visiting. In Maastricht here they really don't come with those numbers. And let's be honest, our concert series also bring in some

money for the city. Just like with the TEFAF, the hotels are full and the shops are busy. Many entrepreneurs are grateful to me. There are, of course, people who complain. But I think Maastricht is a very quiet town, where you can live and stay and linger." According to him, the charm of Maastricht also has something to do with the language. "In the past Maastricht residents spoke French. When I was studying at the conservatory in Liège, next to it was a music store. So the residents of Liège and Maastricht could very easily converse. That, sorry to say, is no longer so. But it is also not the reason that Maastricht has been visited a lot lately by people from outside. It has always been an international open city. It also has something to do with the history of what has happened here. The Spaniards, the French, you name it."

STUDENTS 
Rieu loves the presence of many foreign students. "All those youngsters with their different languages, they make the city extra lively. Of course there are people who do not like it, who are afraid that “their Maastricht” will be taken away. But I don’t see it that way. These young students would love to come here, wouldn't you come to a city like that? No, it is only good. We also notice with the concerts that many young people attend. The idea is that only seniors attend, but that is not the case at all. Especially in recent years you see more and more younger people in the concerts, in fact all over the world. We are apparently creating a new audience. Currently I am seventy, but as you know I would like to become 140, so I have to assure a young audience, otherwise my fans pass away beneath my feet. Those young people oblige me to keep on playing." Walking via the Bredestraat (Wide street) to the Onze Lieve Vrouweplein (Our Dear Lady Square) André still remembers the mini concert he gave several years ago for broadcaster MAX. (2016: See http://www.andrerieumovies.com/2016/160930_free_miniconcert.htm ). "This square is just like Paris. It is so romantic! It was so much fun at that mini concert. Of course we played the song “Oh Sterre der Zee” (Oh, Star of the Sea). That was pure nostalgia. Although I did not sing in the choir of this basilica, that does not matter. I think it is important that children join a choir to sing. You learn a lot, also in terms of social contact." 

‘t KNIJPKE (the little pub)
Seldom he sits on a terrace in the city center. "When I sit on a terrace with my wife Marjorie, I am quickly recognized and then you have to pose for pictures. That is not always fun. The Maastricht residents leave me most of the time alone, but I also understand that foreign tourists like to take their chance. Of course." André Rieu considers Maastricht "not to be Dutch”. "I understand very well that the people from above the rivers view us as "foreigners”. And that is actually true." We walk along the St. Bernardusstraat and stop in front of a building where the café “’t Knijpke” was formerly located. “Here was one of my first performances. That must have been some 45 years ago. Owner Jef Vliegen had advertised for us and it was fully booked for three nights. Wonderful, in that cheese cellar, next to the fireplace."

JEKER NEIGHBORHOOD 
We walk beneath the Helpoort to the Jeker river and the Pater Vink-tower. “During my youth I lived here in the Begijnenstraat. Very idyllic. We used to climb on the ancient city wall. Now there is a fence around it, but it is still very beautiful. This is one of my favorite places. A city with an old historic center just has something more. Your roots are important. I would not like to move frequently. I think it is important to have your own roots somewhere. I don’t consider moving to another city. My fans say: "Maastricht is Heaven." Also since the city is relatively small with 120.000 residents. Then you can keep the human size. That does not happen in a city of 10 million people. Much too big, I don't like that. In Maastricht everything is within reach. It does not take an hour to go from one side of the city to the other”. 

At the long city wall, Rieu walks along the old canons. "The first wall. Impressive how the early residents defended the city. Maastricht was a popular fortified city, there was a lot of fighting. Not too far from here the well-known French musketeer D’Artagnan perished. He ate his last breakfast in my castle which was owned at that time by a count. Besides, I find those houses here on top of this wall really beautiful."

THE MEUSE 
We take the stairs to get on the High Bridge, where the view of the city center as well as the Wyck quarter perfect is. “Yes, Mother Meuse along with the old bridge (St. Servaas bridge) is a silhouette which we have often used in our own video- and TV recordings. A river makes a city more beautiful. In earlier days Wyck was almost abroad, ha, ha. Anyway, the residents of the city center did not come to Wyck that often. But back then I performed often in the "Hotel Maastricht" which is now called Crowne Plaza. This area has developed nicely, with all nice small shops and restaurants.” Not only Wyck is lively, he also notices how the area around the Boschstraat is taking shape. “That is a beautiful street, which looked rather unkempt in the past. But now you can see a lot of improvements, like the former Sphinx factory and the Bassin (historic inner harbor). Now you have a lot more connection from that side of the city with the rest. So… Maastricht is becoming all the more beautiful. And it is already so beautiful!!

Thanks to John and Ineke for the translation