Andre Rieu & Yanni - Instrumental As Showmen
Andre Rieu & Yanni Instrumental As Showmen
The similarities are uncanny.
By Allison Stewart, Tribune Newspapers
Yanni and Andre Rieu are classical-ish, mega-platinum recording artists. Both are beloved and reviled for their extravagant, Celine-Dion-in-Vegas-style shows, their countless PBS pledge drive specials and their expertly tousled hair. Both men have launched tours that will bring them to South Florida — Rieu on Thursday in Sunrise, Yanni next spring in West Palm Beach.
Are they the same person? Possibly!
Consider the following:
Vital stats
Yanni: 54 years old. Greek. New Age superstar. Plays the keyboards and piano.
Andre Rieu: 59 years old. Dutch. Famous for re-popularizing Strauss waltzes. Conducts the Johann Strauss Orchestra and plays the violin.
Latest project
Yanni: "Yanni Voices," his first album to extensively use vocalists.
Rieu: A 30th anniversary tour.
Funny nickname
Yanni: Yanni is his funny nickname.
Rieu: The Flying Dutchman, because of his exhaustive touring. Also, "I heard [they call me] 'The Mel Gibson of the violin,' " he says.
What's with the hair?
Yanni: Notorious for his glossy, Cindy Crawford-ian hair, Yanni cut it short a few years ago, after it began to interfere with scuba diving. "My hair was getting on my nerves," he explains.
Rieu: We're not sure, but it does resemble Gibson, circa "Lethal Weapon 3."
Does he have his own castle?
Yanni: No.
Rieu: Yes.
On the perils of being pigeonholed
Yanni: When describing the new disc, he recalls, "Someone said this on the Internet: 'This ain't your mama's Yanni.' If you quote me, [please] say I was laughing."
Rieu: Long reviled by classical purists, it took Rieu 10 years to find a record company. "People like to put a label on somebody. They didn't know where to put me, so they didn't put me at all."
Pet peeve
Yanni: "Yanni Voices" is an almost-pop album that you should never, ever, describe as New Age. Really, just don't. "Forget the New Age stuff, don't even bring that up," he says. "That is, like, funny ... That's not what it is."
Rieu: Time magazine once called him "the superstar nobody knows." "People come to the concert and they say, 'Who's that? I've never heard of him.' And then they're surprised [at how good it is]," Rieu says.
Eerie connection to John Tesh
Yanni: Once played in a band with him.
Rieu: Both men play covers of Dion's "My Heart Will Go On."
Why the concerts resemble rock shows
Yanni: "The concert has enormous energy. It's like a rock concert. It's the biggest production I've ever taken out on the road."
Rieu: "The only thing that makes my concert different than a rock concert is the music. The rest is the same."
Thing he's really protective of
Yanni: The novice vocalists from the "Voices" album, with whom he's touring. "They're my kids," he says. "I'm very protective. I try to explain to them ... the strain of being on the road."
Rieu: His violin, a Stradivarius, has its own bodyguard.
On burning out, fading away, etc.
Yanni: "It's difficult to get bored because there's so much variety. I've been doing this for a long time. If anybody was going to get bored, It's going to be me."
Rieu: "The only thing I want to do is go on ... It's a nice life. Sometimes it's a little bit too much, but it's a nice life."
*AndreRieuFans.com has known about the "Today" Show appearance, and wishes to thank the Fans & Friends from around the world for offering to be there in support of everyone's favorite violinist!
So what do you FANS think? Is Andre comparable to .. anyone? Do you see similarities between Andre and others? Let us know!
André Rieu, the world’s most popular classical musician known for his energetic and festive live concerts, is bringing the Musical Holidays leg of his “Celebration of Music” 2010 North American Tour to the St. Pete Times Forum on Friday, December 10 at 8:00 p.m.
Musical Holidays with André Rieu will give fans what they’ve come to expect from Rieu’s performances – celebrating music and its wonderful and powerful aspects, featuring André Rieu accompanied by his 55-piece Johann Strauss Orchestra and six powerful soloists. Fans will hear favourites and selections from his latest release Forever Vienna, as well as holiday classics.
“Music is the most wonderful thing in the world – it triggers emotions,” says André Rieu. “I want to bring joy with an ode to waltzes, polkas, romantic ballads and many more beautiful melodies. It will be a very special night.”
“His fans in the U.S. will love this new show,” says Marthijn Graafland, director North America at André Rieu Productions and the promoter for this tour. “Especially since this tour is in the midst of the holiday period, it is not to be missed. In Europe, his Christmas concerts attract over 20,000 fans a night. André is known for creating the perfect holiday show atmosphere.”
Rieu will perform selections from his latest release Forever Vienna, which made music history earlier this year when it climbed to No. 2 on the British pop charts. Released June 29 in the U.S. through UMG, Forever Vienna is Rieu’s first album to appear on the American pop chart, the Billboard 200, and his fifth No. 1 on Billboard’s Traditional Classical chart.
An important part of André Rieu’s brilliance is his keen ability to discover and encourage the talents of other musicians, and the key members of his Johann Strauss Orchestra bring Rieu’s music to even greater heights:
His concerts are known for their festive atmosphere where fans are encouraged to get out of their seats and waltz in the aisles. His latest album reached No. 2 on the UK pop charts, and he is been certified 100-times platinum in Australia, while he also has his own television series in the Netherlands.
Categories: ANDRE RIEU, Articles-Interviews, 2010 Concerts, 1 CONCERTS
My take on it is that Andre compares to no one. I do not believe he should be labeled 'like' any other performer.
I would like to see an article that celebrates Andre's uniqueness.
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Sally, I'm sooo with you. NOTHING and NO ONE can be compared to Andre. He made classical music come alive again and young and old enjoy every minute of it. He deserves an aticle of his own. There is so much to tell!!
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I so agree with you Sally!
There is just no one like Andre!
Why oh why do they always compare?
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Andre's concert was the first concert I had ever attended. To me, It so impressed me, I have no interest in any others. He is the master of concerts. The best violinist,conductor, entertainer,even at times a little comedian. So very charming,it's like a spell. The music I love,His Orchestra everything is just marvelous, fantastic and gorgeously beautiful. They are happy people, and it surely makes you grateful and happy to be there, and hope it would never end. Bravos all the way.
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Sally I agree with you, you cannot compare Andre Rieu to anyone else, He is unique for the way He presents to us Himself His JSO, the way they are dressed, for the way He has arranged the music they play, there is also A SOMETHING that Andre' has that brings the Audience The JSO & of course Andre' all together, the quality, the magic of it all is not hard to feel its there for all to love & enjoy, If you can't get to a concert DVDs are so acessable, so Andre';
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Who would I compare Andre to? Believe me, I have tried, in the past,but always come back to the fact that it does no good to compare because what drew my attention in the first place was that he & his orchestra were different than anything I had ever seen or heard. Oh the music was familiar but presented in an entirely different setting, sooo, I compare him to none.
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Nobody compares to Andre, just take a look at the number of people at his concerts and all enjoying themselves so much. He is the ultimate performer for me and I am a happier person because of it. Play on forever please Andre.
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Dumnezeu sa binecuvinteze oamenii cu talente deosebita, precum Andre Rieu, pentru bucuria pe care o aduce oamenilor.Este atit de necesara aparitia lui pentru inimi si minte. Regret ca nu voi avea niciodata ocazia sa-l vad in live. Bravo familia Rieu!
God blesses people with special talents , such as Andre Rieu , for the joy it brings much needed oamenilor.Este appearance of the heart and mind . I will never regret not having the opportunity to see him live . Rieu family Bravo !
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