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ANDRE RIEU ~ NEWS & LETTERS ~ SEPTEMBER 2007
ANDRÉ RIEU BRINGS THEM IN
September 26,
2007
Dutch violinist, André
Rieu, has sold 300,000-plus units of his
DVDs and CDs in the last twelve months in
Australia. So his record label Universal
expected a brisk turnout when he made two
in-store appearances as part of his first
ever promo tour, on Saturday 22nd at JB Hi
Fi at Eastland Shopping Mall (Melbourne) and
Sunday at Mall Music at Warringah Mall
(Sydney). The Melbourne appearance was
attended by 3,000 and sold 1,000 units at
the store. The Sydney one drew 7,000 people,
and shifted 1,000 units. "This is by far the
biggest personal appearance we have hosted
in over 26 years of retail," says Geoff
Bonouvrié, owner of Mall Music.
"He is the most important
act the music industry has seen for the last
10 years," says Songland Records owner and
founder Brian 'Frog' Harris. "He is
appealing to the demographic that doesn't
usually visit record stores, is not
over-concerned about price point but is
passionate about music."
Before Rieu departed, he
confirmed he's returning for a concert tour.
It read: "I'm overwhelmed by the warm
reception from the Australian people.
Everyone has been so friendly and
down-to-earth. I'm ecstatic about my
Australian chart success and I can't wait to
return for my concert tour in November 2008.
I feel that my life has entered a new phase
and Australia has played a very important
role in this."
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Andre Rieu talks to Spencer Howson (Brisbane)
September 26, 2007
By Heidi Ellis
Two weeks ago, after
persistent encouragement by one of our
listeners, Breakfast presenter Spencer Howson
sat down and watched an Andre Rieu concert on
DVD. Rieu is a Dutch violinist and conductor
Spencer had never had never heard of, but now
he's hooked.
Needing to know more, Spencer
lined up to talk to Andre. To help him out he
called in the fans who recommended Rieu to him
in the first place, Brian and Jill from Ningi.
An enthused Brian jumped right
in to ask when Andre which cities would be
included in Andre's tour of Australia, planned
for December next year. "We are planning to go
to five cities, Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane,
Adelaide and Perth. Because we have so many fans
here we are going to plan to play in the
football stadiums."
Andre has grand plans for the
visit. "We were playing in Vienna... a year ago
with the dancers and the horses and the ice
wings and I'm going to copy that whole
decoration, the whole chateau, the whole castle
and I'll bring the whole thing to Australia."
Andre says he wasn't snubbing
Australia by not coming in the past. "It's a
long, long way to go to Australia. And nobody is
paying me, no government is paying me, so it's
very difficult to pay everything, to be able to
pay everything and bring the whole circus over.
So I had to wait until the record company would
make me known to the people and that's what they
did now and so they created the opportunity for
me to be able to come over."
So what makes Andre's
performances so special? "I think I am simply
myself on stage and I try to give them the
feeling that they don't have to afraid for
classical music or even for me. People always
ask how do I make my programs and it's very
simple, I make them with my heart. When it
touches me then it will touch the audience.
Andre Rieu and his orchestra
will perform in Australia for the first time in
December 2008.
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September 24,
2007
Hello Dear Fans & Friends from
Around the World
Do not forget to check out our new Photogallery
& HomePage. We have so many kind fans
sharing with other fans. Each and every
fan is a blessing and friend. Thanks to
all of you, from all of us.
To our new Fans, Welcome to our Family of
Friends. Where all are welcome. Join
us and share the Happiness & Joy of this
Wonderful Man & his Music.
September 23,
2007
Hello Dear Fans &
Friends:
Please be sure to check out our letter from
Margaret Sansom. She, along with other
AndreRieuFans had a great time seeing Andre at
the Mall.
Margaret's Letter
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September 21,
2007
Watch André as he gives an interview on
Australian Radio
September 21,
2007
Al Girard sends us this
interview with Andre
click to listen
~>click here<~
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September 19,
2007
This is from
Alan Jones (radio personality on 2gb.com):
Well there
is undeniably a new phenomenon in the world of
music which, if the calls to my open line
yesterday are any guide, is hardly news to the
hundreds of thousands of people listening to my
programme.
The man is the
Dutch violinist and conductor, 58 year old Andre
Rieu.
I had him in
my studio yesterday morning.
I invited
listeners to call to speak to him.
The open line
was in meltdown with callers just wanting to
know when he'd be on.
And then we
could have talked to him all day.
This is a
musical phenomenon.
But as they
say in that dreadful advertisement, that's not
all.
He's coming to
Australia next year and tickets will go on sale
later this year and I'll keep you posted.
But the man
known as the modern king of waltz, who has sold
more than 14 million CDs, is going to make
further history when he brings to Australia the
world's largest transportable concert set.
It will
include a full sized copy of the Imperial
Shonbrunn Palace
He'll bring
his Johann Strauss Orchestra and Choir, many
well known soloists, the Vienna State Opera
Ballet, 80 Vienna debutantes, the golden coach
used by the Emperor and Empress of Austria,
famous figure skating champions, the traditional
Viennese horse-drawn carriages with horses and
footmen, and of course fabulous music and
magical waltzes.
This is all
coming to Australia.
His tour will
be called a romantic Viennese night, against the
background of the palace.
It will take
80 containers to bring this stuff here.
It will need
100 stage builders and 250 staff.
The stage will
be 125 metres wide, 30 metres deep, 34 metres
high.
There will be
600 square metres of ice to skate on.
36 horses.
The palace
facade is 4,000 square metres.
There'll be a
golden ballroom measuring 21 metres by 15 metres,
complete with chandeliers.
There will be
150 square metres of LED television monitors.
It will take
two 160 tonne cranes to set everything up.
Veritably it
can be said Andre Rieu is coming to town, and
bringing with him some of the most extraordinary
music that the world has ever heard.
This is the
man who spoke about concerts when he began in
this way, "You know that solemn atmosphere you
find in the concert hall with classical music
and how it intimidates most people and keeps
them away. With us it's simply not there.
"My orchestra
consists of young, enthusiastic musicians who
put their heart and soul into the music every
evening when they play in our concerts.
"At one of our
concerts you'll see me and the orchestra and the
audience too, all having a lot of fun together,
swaying with the music, humming along, clapping,
jumping up and down. It all happens."
Well, it's
going to happen here.
Tentatively
the tour is booked for next November/December
and tickets will go on sale this November.
Andre Rieu, a
maestro if ever there was one.
Sharing now
with millions around the world in the grandest
possible way the undiluted pleasures that come
from music and in particular, from the waltz.
As they say,
and you're given early notice, take your
partners.
Hear Alan's Interview with André
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September 15,
2007
Dear Fans & Friends, Here is an article from The
Netherlands I found about Andre's concert at Het
Gelredome.
Voetbalstadion deint in Weense walssferen
What do fans think of concerts held in large
halls and stadiums such as this above? If
you are not in the front, but have seating in
the very rear of the hall, is the experience
different than it is for those up front?
Do you watch the Jumbo-Screens? The
performance? Both?
Chat about this on the BLOG
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Andre Rieu
"RADIO CITY MUSIC HALL LIVE IN NEW YORK"
on Denon Classics in Stores September 11
SANTA MONICA, CA--(Marketwire - September 7, 2007) - Andre Rieu, already one of the top performing and selling classical artists worldwide and a platinum-selling artist in the US, is on course to break all of his previous sales benchmarks with the release of his new PBS special "RADIO CITY MUSIC HALL LIVE IN NEW YORK." Currently airing on PBS stations nationwide, "RADIO CITY" is by far the most successful program for the network so far with over 1000 prime time airings in markets across the country including powerhouse stations in New York City (WNET) and Los Angeles (KCET). Denon Classics will release "RADIO CITY MUSIC HALL LIVE I" on September 11 on CD and DVD. Rieu will embark on another arena tour of the western US in October, which will be followed by his eastern dates in the spring which have consistently sold out for years.
Says Steve Vining, President of the Savoy Label Group: "The unprecedented response to Andre's first US produced special at PBS and his ever growing retail presence will make the commercial release of this extraordinary concert event his most successful to date. His unique gift of delighting audiences is nowhere more evident than the phenomenal live 'RADIO CITY' spectacular."
Andre Rieu has always been an artist who has generated unparalleled excitement within (and beyond) the realm of classical music. His spectacular specials produced around the world have consistently been the #1 performing pledge drive programs for PBS, his last twelve CDs have landed within the top of Billboard's Classical chart with several debuting in the #1 spot, he's won multi-platinum video sales awards for his DVD sets, "The Ultimate Andre Rieu Collection" and "The Ultimate Andre Rieu Christmas Collection," and his tours have grown bigger each year, regularly selling out arenas in the US and landing him in the Top 5 of Pollstar Magazine's top touring acts year after year.
The leading independent classical music label in North America, Denon Classics is a division of the Savoy Label Group, which is the North American unit of Columbia Music Entertainment (formerly Nippon Columbia), the oldest music company in Japan. Newly reorganized and now headed by Chairman Strauss Zelnick, Columbia Music Entertainment has reemerged as a significant force with a stable of newly signed platinum-selling artists.
Chat about this on the BLOG
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Elephants for a Romantic Evening
Translation by
Inge Cossette
Classic-star André Rieu promises an
unforgettable evening of a Viennese Night on the
Leipzig fairgrounds.
Leipzig "music on", somebody whispers. Waltz
sounds from a CD resound over the Leipzig
fairground. Through the East door comes a golden
coach , pulled by 6 white Lipizzaners. Shortly
after the horse team stops underneath the bell
tower. André Rieu gets off, opens his arms and
presents himself and his coach the
photographers. The eyes of the violinist look
over the area and then IT hits your eyes: Rieu's
Tie.
A blue one with pink elephants he chose. "They
bring me luck!" , tells the classic Superstar
from the Netherlands Maastricht. Rieu knows that
he also needs luck for his project for which he
advertises in Leipzig. For the night he wants
to transform the fairground into Austria's
capital. More than 3O,OOO visitors are supposed
to experience the Viennese night.
For that Rieu wants to rebuild the original
Schönbrunn castle. It is suppose to be the
biggest stage that ever went on tour: l25 meter
long, 34 meter high and 3O meter deep. A
hurricane sure aluminum construction with 5 huge
monitors. In front 2 skating surfaces,
fountains, Fiakers (Viennese coaches), street
lights. For the musical entertainment will be
responsible next to himself, the JSO, choir and
soloists, 36 horses, the ballet of the Viennese
Staatsopera, 8O Viennese debutantes and skaters
shall perfect the illusion.
A preview of the props is on a screen printed.
The 57 year old rocks in the rhythm when a video
with cut outs of his concerts plays in front of
the assembled Journalists." During my last
concert in Vienna I was thinking by myself: too
bad that we cannot play here every night. So I
got this idea, to take Schönbrunn with me to the
whole world." Why Rieu picked Leipzig next to
Toronto, Paris, Bruxelles and other
playgrounds???? "Because that wonderful
fairground is already here!" he is saying, his
father-André Rieu senior- was for a time in the
former DDR conducting the Opera in Leipzig.
Here he is standing now the "junior" on the
fairground, his hands in his pockets, chatting
jokingly and not at all over the top about his
plans, critics might say it is delusional. Even
Roland Temme, the concert organizer, says:
"Towards that are the Stones and Michael Jackson
small fries."
The violinist promises and unforgettable night.
On which Sisi will also be there, she was with
Rieu for the press date, a sitting shivering
empress, alias Suzan Erens, Soprano in the
coach, her blue dress hiding under a blanket.
One question pops up and again and convincing
Rieu has this answer:" The weather on July 12,
will be good, I have that already arranged", but
how he did not say.
original article below:
September 7, 2007
Hello Fans :
On the Internet site L.1 I read the following;
http://www.l1.nl/L1NWS/_rp_links4_elementId/1_1681321
Hotel and catering industry Vrijthof approaches Rieu.
Entrepreneurs of the Vrijthof in Maastricht will establish a convenient to limit the nuisance during the concerts of Andre Rieu. That is the result of a consultation between the hotel and catering industry entrepreneurs and citizen master Gerd Leers.
Andre Rieu wants no longer organize the open air concerts if there is too much nuisance of the terraces.
The entrepreneurs say the importance of realizing of the concert tradition and want a code of conduct fix.
In this stands that there is no longer served during the actions and that noisy guests are addressed on their behavior The convenant between entrepreneurs, municipality and Andre Rieu is signed on 16 September.
I think that after September 16, 2007 the tickets are then ready for sale. Watch
www.andrerieu.com
Arie
www.myspace.com/abussemaker
Sally adds: This article also appears at
Dagblad De Limburger
Chat about this on the BLOG
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ANDRE RIEU ~ NEWS & LETTERS ~ AUGUST 2007
August 15, 2007
Hello Dear Fans & Friends: A special Thank You
to Elly in Australia for sending us the photos
and article from Limelight Magazine. I love the
quote from André and it is on the front of our
website this month,
"I am in love with the waltz. The waltz is a combination of joy and melancholy
that is only feasible in the waltz. it's fantastic music."
For all of us Fun, Friendly & Fantastically
Fanatical Fans we can order this magazine and
read
The Magic Of Rieu. <~click the link
chat about this on our BLOG
August 8, 2007
Hello Fans & Friends from Around The World:
Today René shares with us an article from a
German newspaper. The article speaks of
André and Marjorie and their partnership in life
& business:
I send Sally an press article (08.08.07)
about André and Marjorie Rieu. Since many
fans of the whole world wanted to see
André's women, a German newspaper now
published a photo from her. After
consultation and Andrés OK. This was
photographed in Vienna on July 14. .
Enclosed two more photos from the press.
Consequently, the fans meet also his loved
wife. "Marjorie created André and developed
him". Is a commentary. "She is like a
general". She participates on all
rehearsals, she writes all down in here
list, also a too late list for JSO members
they comes not on time to the rehearsal. She
is very strict. . Comments to and for all.
Sometimes, she crushes André and the JSO
members. Read and translate the write from
the press for all the info. René
chat about this on the BLOG
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Hello Dear Fans & Friends:
Please send any news
articles, stories, clips or photos of Andre
Rieu, his JSO and/or his fans to me via email or
snail mail. Help us create this tribute to Andre
Rieu and his JSO. Share with other Fans.
Send me your postcards. They can be about
any good thing you choose. I will paste
them onto this page. Let's have fun and
share. Also, remember to email me your
concert story & photos. I will create a
page for you and you can help create this
tribute to our favorite Maestro. Have a
news item? Send it! I will be
updating the PhotoGallery again, so if you would
like any of your photos to be included, just
send them too. Kindest Regards, Webmaster
Sally.
Sally@AndreRieuFans.com
Webmaster Sally
4160 Suisun Valley Road
Suite E720
Fairfield, CA 94534
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Klassik-Star André Rieu verspricht eine unvergessliche Wiener Nacht auf der Leipziger Festwiese
Leipzig. „Musik an!" flüstert jemand. Walzerklänge von einer CD schallen über die Leipziger Festwiese. Durch das Osttor ruckelt eine goldene Kutsche, gezogen von sechs weißen Lipizzanern. Kurz darauf hält das Gespann unterhalb des Glockenturms. André Rieu steigt heraus, breitet die Arme aus und präsentiert sich und sein Gefährt den Fotografen. Der Blick des Violinisten geht übers Gelände. Und dann sticht sie ins Auge: Rieus Krawatte.
Eine blaue mit pinkfarbenen Elefanten hat er gewählt. „Die bringen mir Glück", verrät der Klassik-"Superstar" aus dem niederländischen Maastricht. Rieu weiß, dass er auch Glück für sein Projekt braucht, welches er in Leipzig bewirbt: Für einen Abend will er die Festwiese in Österreichs Hauptstadt verwandeln. Mehr als 30.000 Besucher sollen dort am 12. Juli 2008 eine romantische Wiener Nacht erleben.
Dafür wird Rieu das kaiserliche Schloss Schönbrunn in Originalgröße nachbauen. Es wird angeblich die größte Bühne sein, die je auf Tournee gegangen ist: 125 Meter breit, 34 Meter hoch, 30 Meter tief, eine orkansichere Aluminiumkonstruktion, mit fünf Riesenmonitoren. Davor zwei Eislaufflächen, Springbrunnen, Fiaker, Laternen. Für die musikalische Unterhaltung sorgen nebst dem Geiger das Johann-Strauß-Orchester, Chor und Solisten. 36 Pferde, das Ballett der Wiener Staatsoper, 80 Wiener Debütanten und Eiskunstläufer sollen die Illusion perfekt machen.
Eine Vorausschau auf die Kulisse ist auf einer Leinwand aufgedruckt. Der 57-Jährige wippt im Takt, als ein Video mit Ausschnitten seiner Konzerte vor den versammelten Journalisten läuft. „Bei meinem letzten Konzert in Wien habe ich mir gedacht: Schade, dass wir nicht jeden Abend hier spielen können." So habe er die Idee gehabt, Schönbrunn einfach in alle Welt mitzunehmen. Warum Rieu sich neben Toronto, Paris, Brüssel und weiteren Spielstätten auch Leipzig für das Ereignis ausgesucht hat? „Weil hier nun mal die prachtvolle Festwiese ist", meint er, dessen Vater - André Rieu senior, einige Zeit in der DDR Chef der Leipziger Oper gewesen ist.
Da steht er nun, der Junior, auf der Wiese, die Hände in den Taschen, plaudert humorvoll und ganz und gar nicht überheblich über seine Pläne. Kritiker mögen sagen, das alles sei größenwahnsinnig. Auch Roland Temme, Konzertveranstalter, bekennt: „Dagegen sind die Stones und Michael Jackson Kleinkram."
Der Geiger verspricht einen unvergesslichen Abend. An diesem wird übrigens auch Sissi dabei sein, die Rieu zum Pressetermin mitgebracht hat. Fröstelnd sitzt die Kaiserin alias Suzan Erens, Sopranistin, in der Kutsche. Ihr blaues Kleid hat sie unter einer Decke verhüllt. Eine Frage drängt sich auf, wieder einmal liefert Rieu eine überzeugend vorgetragene Antwort: „Das Wetter am 12. Juli wird schön, das habe ich geregelt. Aber ich sage nicht, wie."
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