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In a career spanning almost 40 years, Andre Rieu has earned the reputation of King of Waltz. Some even call him the King of Romance, as the world class conductor and violinist touches soul with his melodies.
Performing year round with his Johann Strauss Orchestra, Andre Rieu is hailed as a phenomenal entertainer. His fusion of waltz with musical opera is enjoyed by diverse audiences and during his live concerts they are often seen to get up from their seats and sway in the aisles.
Out with his latest collection titled “Amore”, Rieu has once again treated the fans to romantic pieces that include “Only Love” and “The Last Rose”. Known for his charisma and passion, Rieu captures all that and more in his music, leaving the audiences craving for more.
The legendary musician has announced his “Christmas With Andre Tour” that will take him to Australia and Mexico in 2018. An estimated 600,000 people attend his concerts per year, as Andre Rieu tickets sales exceed even those of the maverick entertainers like Sir Elton John, Coldplay and Madonna.
Early Life & Influence
Travelling the world with his 50 members Johann Strauss Orchestra, Andre Rieu is a name that has touched lives and inspired countless.
Rieu was five when he started learning violin in his hometown of Maastricht in the Netherlands. Born in a musically gifted family, his father was a conductor and Rieu developed interest in orchestra by watching his father live. He later studied violin and even enrolled in the Music Academy in Brussels, training under renowned teachers like Jo Juda, Herman Krebbers and André Gertler.
Greatly inspired by Johann Strauss, Rieu carried his legacy forward by pursuing modern waltz. In 1987, the Johann Strauss Orchestra was formed and it included 12 members. Since then Rieu’s star appearance and melodramatic stage presence has drawn in people of all age groups to the genre.
Breakthrough That Made Him the King of Waltz
Johann Strauss Orchestra today performs with 50 members and the number extends to 60 when there is a huge stage. Showing incredible musical prowess, Johann Strauss Orchestra performs with heart. According to Andre Rieu, “My concerts are about joy and love! We should make decisions in our lives with our hearts, not our heads. I always choose my program with my heart.”
Also inspired by the music of Bruce Springsteen and Andrew Lloyd Webber, Rieu is all about exploring the vast music world. He doesn’t believe in categorizing his music or setting up boundaries. This is why his concerts are always magical and the audiences are seen clapping and dancing in the aisles. The fans embrace the eclectic music that Rieu has to offer and many often cry at the beauty of his melodies.
According to Andre Rieu, the turning point in his musical career came in 1995. He was invited to perform during the half-time at the UEFA Champions League, in a game between Bayern Munich and AFC Ajax. His second waltz had the entire crowd swaying and singing along. That year, Rieu racked up more album sales in Netherlands than Michael Jackson’s “HIStory: Past, Present and Future, Book I”. And it was all because of waltz.
With Netherlands “conquered”, Rieu’s waltz found wings and soared in other countries including Japan, New Zealand, Australia, USA, Canada and all across Europe.
Andre Rieu Tour Tickets
Reviving the global appeal of waltz, Andre Rieu tours throughout the year. Listed among the biggest solo male touring artists in the world, his concerts annually record an attendance of more than 600,000 people. Known for staging spectacular extravaganzas, his live shows are a feast for the eyes.
In 2007, Rieu’s “World Stadium Tour: A Romantic Vienna Night” featured the biggest stage ever. Designed as a re-creation of Vienna’s imperial Schönbrunn Palace, the elaborate stage was able to fit only in some of the biggest stadiums and boasted of ballroom dance floor, two ice rinks and two massive fountains.
This is why Andre Rieu tour tickets always sell out as soon as the fans know they are getting a whole lot more besides just mesmerizing music. In 2018, Andre Rieu will once again embark on a lengthy tour that will visit cities in Germany and all across Europe. The legendary musician will also perform in Mexico, Argentina and Israel, before wrapping up his Christmas with Andre – LIVE! in Australia in November.
Andre Rieu lives with his family – wife Marjorie Rieu, two sons and five grandchildren at his Maastricht Castle. A romantic at heart, he had a dream of living in a castle one day and decorating it with beautiful artifacts, paintings and huge chandeliers. He today lives that dream and calls Castle 'de Torentjes a safe haven for him and his wife.
Marjorie has been Andre’s strength in all these years. While she never travels with him on tours, she’s one of his biggest inspirations and many of the compositions by Rieu are inspired by her.
With his both feet well grounded and head in the clouds, Andre Rieu has built a music empire. In his words, “I am in the skies and on the ground. People ask me how I manage to be a businessman and an artist at the same time. And my big example is always Johann Strauss. He had five orchestras and he wrote fantastic music”.
