Andre Rieu made people waltz in Bucharest once again

Famous Andre Rieu and its Johann Strauss Orchestra enchanted the music lovers once again in Bucharest in his first concert this year, Saturday in the Constitutiei Square in front of some thousands spectators, many of them coming from outside Bucharest and even from abroad.

Many people from the audience raised the flags of their native countries: USA, Canada, Israel, Bulgaria or Macedonia, but there were a lot of Dutch in the crowd and other nationalities as well; many came precisely in Romania to see Rieu performing, like my seat neighbor, who was German.

Accompanied by the The Platin Tenors consisting in Gary Bennett from Tasmania, Bela Mavrak, Hungary and Eric Reddet, France and three gorgeous sopranos, Andre Rieu displayed the same jester spirit and the same empathy with the audience, unveiling that they are most happy to be back in the Romanian capital.

The stage depicting a Pantheon was framed on both sides by two towers with bells, while the huge screen behind the orchestra kept changing the images on every song performed.

“Tonight we are going to warm your heart with beautiful music, fantastic soloists and of course with waltzes. It’s so fantastic to be back in Bucharest.

I’ve been looking forward for the whole year. This year my orchestra and me performed the whole world. We played on all continents. We gave some hundreds of concerts. And every night after each concert it was the same procedure. We go to the hotel. I go to my room, I put myself into my pajama, I laid down in my bed, I pull the blanket over me, I close my eyes. And what in the world do I think of? Bucharest. And tonight we are in Bucharest with the best audience in the whole world,” said Rieu in the beginning.

The evening was opened by The Skater’s waltz, with Rieu saying that ‘In Holland we don’t waltz on waltz, we skate.’

The Pearl Fishers’ by Georges Bizet, a fragment of ‘Scheherazade’ by N. Rimsky-Korsakov, waltzes, various traditional songs, a harmonium moment, airs from famous operas completed the evening’s programme.

However, by far the most touching moment was the orchestra’s performing the famous Romanian traditional song “Ciobanas cu 300 de oi/ Shepherd with 300 sheep”.

The audience also particularly interacted with the artists when Andre Rieu tested it by divideing spectators into musicians groups: bass, soprano, double bass, etc and made them sing along.

“I hear the most melomaniac audience in the world lives in Bucharest. I am going to test it. I’ll call you ‘the nuns choir in Bucharest’. The best choir will be out on the CD. I am sure Bucharest will be on the CD. You were fantastic,” the Dutch conductor and violinist addressed the numerous crowd.

Of course, Rieu acted up to his already known promptitude and punctuality, starting the show at 8:30 sharp as announced, when treaded the boards alongside his musicians, after a march through the sitting spectators.

After the mid-show break, Andre Rieu again remarked some spectators being late in taking back their seats, stressing that he will not proceed with the show unless everybody is sitting down. He asked the tardy people: “Is this the way things are in Bucharest? Are you all from Bucharest?”

However, the performer got over the delay moments quite soon, admitting that “singing together makes people happy”. “A lot of friendships started during our concerts. Music brings people together. Wherever you are from tonight we have one goal, to enjoy music,” Rieu stated.

While introducing Andrew Lloyd Webber’ air “Think of me” Phantom of the Opera, Rieu confessed that when people asked him how does he choose his music, the soloists, he did that “with his heart”.

“When I feel that a piece of music touches my heart I know that it will catch your heart, too”.

And he went on: “We received letters and e-mail from all over the world, they tell us that our music changed their lives. That makes me very proud. Doctors are writing me, Andre, a dcotor told me, I have been a doctor in this hospitals for 25 years. I try to heal my patients every day. Then comes the head nurse, puts a DVD with the music of your joyful orchestra and suddenly my patients don’t need me anymore.

Apparently there is a healing power in music. Nothing goes as deep into your soul than music. And I hope we can make music together with my orchestra for the rest of my life.”

Before the encore, Andre Rieu challenged the audience to get up and waltz on the most famous Johann Strauss’ “Blue Danube”, the piece de resistance of all his concerts.

Couples responded his invitation and began to dance between the lines and continued until several minutes before the confetti cannons marked the end of the show on the ‘Radetzky March.’

The encore comprised several beloved airs and ended the three-hour Saturday show on the chords of “Marina, Marina” song accompanied by a fireworks show.