Andre Rieu loves to surprise his audiences so he keeps details of his upcoming concerts under wraps – including whether his return to Aberdeen will see him in a kilt again.
The King of the Waltz delighted fans when his encore at last year’s show at P&J Live saw him emerge in Highland dress – the 10,000 strong audience roared and cheered their approval. It’s a moment, Andre will never forget.
“That was my first time in a kilt and it’s a heavy thing – three times heavier than my tuxedo,” said the acclaimed violinist and conductor who had the challenge of a quick change out of his tux and into his plaid before returning to the stage.
“We practised, we did so much practice, because I had to manage to put it on in 20 seconds,” he said.
The Dutch musical maestro says it will be a joy to play for his Aberdeen fans again, which begs the question if his appearance with his beloved Johan Strauss Orchestra on Thursday May 25 will see him back in Scotland’s national dress.
The element of surprise
“Oh my gosh, what shall I say. Let it be a surprise,” he said, laughing and admitting he hasn’t worn a kilt since.
But the element of surprise is something which delights Andre, as he explained when asked what audiences can expect when they flock to P&J Live.
“I’m not going to tell you, because then the surprise is gone and I think that’s a big part of the evening,” he said.
“I’m so proud that people buy tickets for my concerts without knowing what we are going to play. When you go to a normal classical concert, you read the programme and you know the conductor, what century they are going to play, who is the soloist. In my case, you don’t know at all.”
There is however, one thing that is certain – Andre and his orchestra and singers will provide an evening of top-flight entertainment, full of the lush costumes, dazzling sets, and all the glitz and glamour that is his trademark.
Grabbing the audience by the heart
“I love to grab the audience by their hearts and pull them from emotion to emotion, from laughing to crying, to dancing,” he said.
“That’s why I’m on stage, to give people an experience that they are happy and want to go home with a smile on their face.”
It certainly pays off. An evening at an Andre Rieu concert leaves you in do doubt about the adoration heaped upon the musician from his legion of fans, who snap up tickets wherever he plays.
“I think it’s a love affair. When I play my violin, I really do that for the audience and not for myself. When I’m on stage the most important thing is that interaction with the audience. I want the feeling that it comes back,” he said.
“A lot of artists during the pandemic played for empty halls and taped that for television. In my case that was impossible, because I play for the audience, I don’t play for empty chairs.”
Over 40 million records sold
Andre created the Johan Strauss Orchestra in 1987 with their first concert on January 1 1988. In the 45 years since, he has sold more than 40 million records, sold more than 700,000 concert tickets and constantly tours the globe.
He is credited with making classical music more accessible as people are drawn to his lavish and exciting concerts, that often see folk dancing in the aisles to classics such as The Blue Danube.
But an Andre Rieu concert is a heady mix of musical genres, where you can find everything from Strauss to Bruce Springsteen, as classical meets rock and pop. And he is happy to mix it up.
An evening to remember
“My father was the conductor of a classical orchestra and for him it was only classical music. For me there is only good music. That means if its pop or rock, or operetta or opera or whatever, if it’s good music I play everything, as long as it touches my heart,” he said.
“When it touches my heart, I’m sure it will touch your heart and that’s why I play it.”
So, kilt or not, Andre is hoping to touch the hearts of his fans at P&J Live in what he promises will be another night to remember.
“I’m extremely happy to come back to Aberdeen because it is always beautiful to play there,” he said.
“I will do everything in my power to give them an evening they will never forget. I can promise you, without telling you the surprises – it is going to be fantastic.”
Andre Rieu and the Johann Strauss Orchestra will be at P&J Live on Thursday May 25. For tickets and information visit pandjlive.com or call 01224 824824.
