After months of anticipation,
planning, emailing and dreaming,
Andre Rieu returned to the Nokia in Grand Prairie Texas
and so did I.

With a Song in My Heart & Friends By My Side 
I Could Have Danced All Night.

This year my daughter Kathleen came to meet me in Dallas and join us in the festivities. Katie flew in from Alabama and I from California. We had Ruth & Jim Morgan from Incline Village Nevada, as well as Dora Senn, NV and Gerda Case from Oregon joining us. Lawrence & Pauline Sudduth would come from Louisiana, bringing with them family and friends, Howard & Pat Andrews, Sarah Salmela, Shirley Neal and Helene. Missouri sent us Maggie Worman and dear friends Dan & Shirley Kirk.

Texas gave us the most Fans & Friends with Jerry & Nita Stover leading the way, bringing 10 people with them to the concert. Also hailing from Texas were Charlene Warfield and her mother Ruth, Michael & Andrea Barfoot, Bill & Donna Van Sickler, Barbara Henderson, Sam & Shirley Ferrara, Nathan & Marion Reeder, and Audrey Clough.

April 23, most of us met at The Marsala restaurant in Grand Prairie for a Fans Dinner put on by Ruth Morgan and Lawrence & Pauline Sudduth. I had a grand time visiting with other fans as we ate a marvelous meal, drew numbers for door prizes and shared our lives and Andre stories with each other.

There was another tailgate prior to the concert. Lawrence & Pauline Sudduth brought sandwiches, chips, cold sodas and desert! We had nice people we met in the parking lot join us for tailgate visits and fun and then it was time for the concert.

You might have seen us. We were the happy, flag waiving (thanks to Barbara Henderson), clapping, sign holding, D-A-L-L-A-S   L-O-V-E-S   A-N-D-R-E, Conga dancing group, front and center to the stage. I asked my daughter when she got to her seat if she thought her mom scored good tickets. She agreed I did and sat down to watch someone many American 22 year olds will never see. I would say by the 47 photos Kathleen took, and the laughter and smiles, that she too enjoyed the show.

It is a show. This is no boring, wonder why you are there concert. This is a clap your hands, stomp your feet, get up, dance and shout, FUN.

The Plantin Tenors, Gary, Bela & Thomas, sang to us as did the 'Golden Sopranos', Kalki, Carla & Suzan. The women of the JSO were beautiful as always, the men so debonair. From Women, Wine and Song to Torna a Surriento was had a good time enjoying good music.

I had hoped Frank would bring the bells 'carillons' and he did. Einsam Klingt das Kleine Glockchen is a treat and you must see Frank and Marcel as they duel to Circus Renz.

We waited for Don't Cry For Me Argentina and Suzan Erens did not disappoint. She is a vision of loveliness in her black sequined gown.

And what fun it was to see Andrea & Michael Barfoot and Ruth & Jim Morgan start a Conga Line. Only seconds later Charlene Warfield and Barbara Henderson were joining in. There were others from the concert I do not know their names, but they too ran to the Conga Line and brought their smiles with them.

The concert closed with an adorable little girl going to the stage and waiting bravely for the song to finish so she could give Andre the Red Roses she brought.  (we later found out her name is Claudia and being inspired by Andre Rieu
she is taking violin lessons, )

We are a fun group, us Andre Rieu Fans. How could we be anything else? We've got the best music in the world and we've got each other.

I hope everyone who went to a concert writes to share his or her story with us. The more the merrier is very true when we share concert time with Andre Rieu and his JSO.

Happiness Always ~ Webmaster Sally