André Rieu

Not to be confused with André Riou.
André Rieu

Rieu in 2009
Background information
Birth name André Léon Marie Nicolas Rieu
Born (1949-10-01) 1 October 1949
Origin Maastricht, Netherlands
Genres Classical, Classical crossover, Waltz, Easy listening
Occupation(s) Conductor, violinist
Instruments Violin
Years active 1978–present
Labels Denon Records, Philips
Website www.andrerieu.com
Notable instruments
Stradivarius violin (1667)[1]

André Léon Marie Nicolas Rieu (born 1 October 1949) is a Dutch violinist and conductor best known for creating the waltz-playing Johann Strauss Orchestra. Together they have turned classical and waltz music into a worldwide concert touring act, as successful as some of the biggest global pop and rock music acts.[2] For his work, Rieu has been awarded such honours as the Order of the Netherlands Lion by the Netherlands, the Knight of the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres by France, and the Honorary Medal by his native Province of Limburg.

Rieu began studying violin at the age of five. He created the Maastricht Salon Orchestra in 1978, and went on to create the Johann Strauss Orchestra in 1988.

Early life

The name Rieu is of French Huguenot origin.[1] Rieu's father, of the same name, was conductor of the Maastricht Symphony Orchestra. Showing early promise, André began studying violin at the age of five. From a very young age, he developed a fascination with orchestra. He studied violin at the Conservatoire Royal in Liège and at the Conservatorium Maastricht, (1968–1973), studying under Jo Juda and Herman Krebbers. From 1974 to 1977, he attended the Music Academy in Brussels, studying with André Gertler, finally receiving his degree "Premier Prix" from the Royal Conservatory of Brussels.[3]

Career

At university he performed the Gold And Silver Waltz by Franz Lehár. Encouraged by the audience reaction he decided to pursue the waltz form. Rieu formed the Maastricht Salon Orchestra, and served as violinist with the Limburg Symphony Orchestra. In 1987, he created the Johann Strauss Orchestra and established his own production company. Since then, his melodramatic stage performances and rock-star demeanor have been widely associated with a revival of the waltz music category. André Rieu plays a 1667 Stradivarius violin.[1]

Johann Strauss Orchestra

The Orchestra began in 1987 with 12 members, giving its first concert on 1 January 1988. Over the years it has expanded dramatically, nowadays performing with between 80 and 150 musicians.

Rieu and his orchestra have performed throughout Europe, North and South America, Japan, and Australia. The size and revenue of their tours are rivalled only by the largest pop and rock music acts. In 2008 Rieu’s extravagant tour featured a full size reproduction of Empress Sisi’s Castle, the biggest stage ever to go on tour at that time.[4] During the first half of 2009, André Rieu was the world’s most successful male touring artist, according to Billboard magazine.[2]

Andre Rieu and Carmen Monarcha (2009)
Recent world tour results in Billboard / Pollstar annual worldwide top tours lists
Year Rank # Shows Revenue Source
2013 #20 70 shows $49,983,266 Billboard Top 25 Tours 2013[5]
2012 #10 99 shows $46,785,71 Billboard Top 25 Tours 2012[6]
2011 # 9 102 shows $67,104,756 Billboard Top 25 Tours 2011[7]
2010 #16 86 shows $39,992,285 Billboard Top 25 Tours 2010[8]
2009 # 6 112 shows $95,854,338 Billboard Top 25 Tours 2009[9]
2008 # 8 71 shows $76.9 mll Pollstar’s top 10 worldwide tour acts 2008[4]

Rieu records both DVD and CD repertoire at his own studios in Maastricht in a wide range of classical, popular, and folk music, as well as thematic music from well-known soundtracks and musical theatre. His lively orchestral presentations, in tandem with effective marketing, have attracted worldwide audiences to this emergent subgenre of classical music.

In addition to two World Music Awards, Rieu's recordings have gone gold and platinum in many countries, including 8-times Platinum in the Netherlands.

Television is also an important outlet for Rieu and his orchestra. Their annual New Year's concerts from Vienna have become a Holiday tradition on public broadcasting stations. For two weeks in 2013, one of the channels of the BSkyB group, Sky Arts 2 in the UK, was renamed as Sky Arts Rieu. Between 30 March and 14 April 2013 Sky Arts Rieu broadcast Rieu concerts and documentaries 24 hours per day.[10]

André Rieu and the Johann Strauss Orchestra will perform a marathon of 7 concerts in Bucharest, Romania, starting with 5 June 2015 at Piața Constituției where over 65,000 fans are expected to attend an exclusive event, as Romanian capital concerts are the only open-air shows that the artist is performing around the world, besides gigs in Maastricht, his native city. Over 150 people accompanied Rieu to Bucharest who will be singing in front of President Klaus Johannis. The decor will recreate a Greek temple, and for fitting worked no less than 350 people. He will continue his tour in Romania with concerts on 6, 7, 11, 12, 13 June and 14, besides this. Rieu stated that he worked 2-3 years only for this major event.[11]

Criticism

In spite of its wide international success, Rieu's mix of waltzes, popular music, comedy, and pathos has attracted its critics. Chris Boyd, a critic writing for Melbourne's Herald Sun newspaper, did not criticize his playing, but described his main stage function as "blarney and delegation".

Of Rieu's popularity and the media debate surrounding him, Eamon Kelly wrote in The Australian newspaper: "It is disappointing to see professional journalists indulging in cheap, inaccurate stereotypes to dismiss criticism of Rieu."[12] But he goes on to add: "Equally misguided are those who cursorily dismiss Rieu. Rieu's live and recorded performances have brought joy to millions of people. Few in his audiences are regular classical music attendees and it could be seen as promising that, via Rieu, they are listening to standards of the classical canon. The fact that Rieu's focus is on highly accessible, enjoyable repertoire is not an argument against his musical credentials."[12]

Honours

Selected discography

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Interview on German TV". Archived from the original on 21 July 2011. Retrieved 30 Aug 2011.
  2. 1 2 "international Archives - Page 2 of 3 - Andre Rieu". Andrerieu.com. Retrieved 2016-01-15.
  3. ↑ "André Rieu". classicfm.co.uk. Retrieved 2012-01-28.
  4. 1 2 "Andre Rieu is top 10 Touring act". Andrerieu.com. Retrieved 2016-01-15.
  5. ↑ "Top 25 Tours of 2013". Billboard. Retrieved 2016-01-15.
  6. ↑ "Top 25 Tours of 2012". Billboard. Retrieved 2016-01-15.
  7. ↑ "Top 25 Tours of 2011". Billboard. Retrieved 2016-01-15.
  8. ↑ "Top 25 Tours of 2010". Billboard. Retrieved 2016-01-15.
  9. ↑ "Top 25 Tours of 2009". Billboard. Retrieved 2016-01-15.
  10. ↑ "Andre Rieu Concerts, Documentaries And Pictures". Skyarts.sky.com. Retrieved 2016-01-15.
  11. ↑ "Andre Rieu a sosit la Bucuresti pentru maratonul de 7 concerte. Ce surpriza de proportii a pregatit pentru publicul roman" (in Romanian). Pro TV. 4 June 2015. Retrieved 2016-01-15.
  12. 1 2 "Music's Great Polariser". The Australian. Retrieved 2016-01-15.

External links

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