Translation from French into English: Hermina Kohlstadt -- February 1, 2008

Magazine Article & Photographs: May-Rose Fornier

Magazine: NOUS DEUX (The Two of Us) -- Date: January 29 to February 4, 2008

A Season?

Autumn, because I was born in October, and I love the color of nature at this time.

The world. I am a citizen of the world.

Maastricht in Holland, my town

An elephant. I love the elephants very much.  Look at my necktie, it has approximately ten designs. I love them, because they are strong and amiable, but they can also look at each other with rage, if it has to be.

That shows a little of myself, this here
(Laughter)

The perfume of roses.

INTERVIEW

I would be nothing without my family.

André Rieu:

He shows himself in the stadiums from one end of the planet to the other and sells millions of CDs and DVDs. This artist is animated by an insanity, a sweet madness which brings him success.

Compare his fairytale of the good fairies

Fairylike surroundings, ostentatious decorations, amiable waltzes  AndrŽ Rieu needs his whole organization- and music talent in order to let his spectators dream.

While his new album, a hymn to the fairytales and fairies, undertakes an enormous triip around the world, the Dutch violinist undertakes one step into the pages of Wir Zwei (the two of us).

The Two of Us: An Appreciation for the Fairytales  How did this idea come to you?

André Rieu: I always wished to issue an album about fairytales. Therefore, when the chef of a Dutch television chain asked me to do something small for an amusement park, as we have one in Holland, I threw myself into this endeavour. An extract had been worked over and was made available in the course of the conversation, this has become a complete spectacle, which was filmed and spread out via the television.

Yes, my trip to Vienna. We need hundred semitrucks for this voyage, which will go through the stadiums of the whole world. We have played in Vienna in front of the castle of Sissi and of Franz-Joseph There were the ballets from Vienna, skaters, horses  And like for the amusement park, this concert gave me the idea to throw myself into a gigantic voyage. That is who I am, I love challenges.

Yes, but after that it is a question of choice. For example, I could not play Rock, because that is not who I am, that is not my philosophy of life. My realm is the classical music, and in this fairytale album, what do you find there? Classical music still always and always. It flows through my blood. It is so marvelous  Every evening in concert I feel that my audience is even more attracted by it. That is a pride to encounter all the public by going to the streets.

That is most probably arrogant, but partially yes. They are there and I see them. My public is very different. Certain ones know the difference between a violin and a viola, and others are not capable of this, but for a few only is this imporant. They all come out of love for the cassical music, and that is what brings me joy. In fact, I eliminate this elitistic side, which is claimed by certain purists, from this artistic art. It suffices to come to my concerts with their hearts being the only luggage and to leave the encyclopedia in the cloak-room.

What do you think I could answer you? Nothing That is so ridiculous. The music has nothing to do with the location where one plays. The Pleyel Hall, the Stadium France, that is the same thing. That is the same thing compared with what one hears. The music is international, and all spectators are good. If you tell me to mistrust the coldness of the New York and the Parisian spectators, for example, that is wrong. There is no bad public. there are no bad spectators, it is up to us to be good.

Would you have been Able to do Anything Else but Music with an Older Conductor?

I do not know. In any case, music is indispensable for me. When I was little, I wanted to only play melodies at home and I detested to execute the gamut. Naturally, this was sometimes difficult, because I wanted to play outside with my companions, but I knew, in order to be successful in music, one had to engage oneself in it also. I never have been an overly talented child like Mozart. My success is the fruit of much work and a little talent.

(Laughter) No. The celebrity exists in the head of people, not in mine I gave myself the time to grow, I have done things step by step, and there is no danger at all, that I lose my step. I even have no administrator. I do everything myself. Therefore, I can control everything.

Yes, with my wife. We do everything together, and with my younger son Pierre, who works with the stage area. My parents had a house in the Dordogne. I love this land. One eats here like nowhere else in this world. I have learned your language during my studies in Holland, and thanks to my stays in your South-West.

Yes, surely. There are many countries, where I have not been yet. I dream of South America, for example, Mexico. I will go to Australia for the first time. I would love it to bring in the future classical music to millions of people. Maybe, at my choice, but I am not the pope, that is for sure (Laughter)!

** He is giving a special Concert on August 29, 2008 in the Stadium France.