Andre Rieu, Come And Waltz With Him At Usana
Usana Amphitheatre: Come and waltz with André Rieu and his Johann Strauss Orchestra
By David Burger
The Salt Lake Tribune
Updated: 06/17/2009 01:59:15 PM MDT
In the summer, Usana Amphitheatre is a great place to drink a beer, enjoy the weatherand dance in the aisles. On June 25, the audience will drink a beer, enjoy the weather -- and waltz in the aisles.
André Rieu, also known as the "King of the Waltz," will perform with his Johann Strauss Orchestra, far from the confines of a stuffy concert hall where standing up is considered impolite.
"I love outdoor venues," the Dutch violinist and composer said in a Tribune interview. "I love risk. It could rain, but it never rains when I perform."
Rieu, 59, is considered by many to have revived the popularity of the waltz, which now is enjoyed every season on TV's "Dancing With the Stars." He studied violin
at the Conservatoire Royal in Liège, Belgium, the Conservatorium Maastricht in the Netherlands, and the Music Academy in Belgium. After performing as a violinist with the Limburg Symphony Orchestra in Belgium, in 1987 he created the Johann Strauss Orchestra, winning crowds over with melodrama and charisma. Since then, Rieu has sold more than 30 million albums and is among the top moneymakers on the concert circuit, with 700,000 people attending his shows every year across the world.
Besides his top market of Australia, the United States loves Rieu. Billboard magazine announced Rieu as the No. 1 Top Selling Classical Artist of 2008 in the United States, and his most recent DVD, "Live in Australia," outsold live releases by Pink and AC/DC in the U.S.
This year, Rieu is celebrating his 30-year career and performing the greatest hits from him and his 43-member orchestra. "A waltz is a mirror of life," Rieu said of his attraction to the genre. "There's not only joy, and not only misery, but both. There's a lot of melancholy and joy at the same time."
He takes pride in turning people who don't like the genre into classical-music lovers, which explains his showmanship and stage show. His concerts can usurp the spirit of a rock show, with Rieu encouraging fans to waltz in the aisles. He finds North American crowds "very hungry" for entertaining classical-music concerts, likely to "drive 2,000 miles to go to a concert," he said.
Although Rieu is celebrating his 30th anniversary, he said he plans on another 60 years on the road. "When I'm home, I have to work," he said. "When I'm on tour, for me, that is a holiday."
Thank you David Burger for a very nice article.
Another 60 years!!! Hooray!!!