Andre Rieu

Andrè Rieu and his Johann Strauss Orchestra had everyone dancing in the aisles of the 3 Arena during the first of two sold-out concerts in Dublin on Thursday May 9th. Rieu returned to Ireland this week as part of his 2024 World Tour with a wonderful performance in front of a packed out crowd in the Irish capital.

Rieu is the world's most popular classical artist and has sold over 40 million CD's and DVD's around the world as well as being awarded more than 500 Platinum and 270 Gold awards, The world-renowned Dutch violinist and conductor thrilled the audience with his energetic performance. The stage design, lighting, lavish costumes and sound added a sense of magic and wonder to proceedings to create an almost fairy-tale-like setting.

Rieu's orchestra is made up of 50 - 60 players from 16 nationalities. Each musician plays a vital role in creating the beautiful music Rieu is so famous for. The wide-range of instruments being played, including Rieu's famous 1692 Stradivarius violin, create a cacophony of sound that entrances listeners.

Wanting to change how classical music was enjoyed, Rieu, when starting out with this orchestra 36 years ago, set about making his performances full of fun. He has previously said -

"At one of our concerts you'll see me and the orchestra, and the audience too, all having a lot of fun together. Swaying with the music, humming along, clapping, jumping up and down - it all happens! Every evening is a wonderful experience, and in my view there couldn't be a greater pleasure for a musician."

This was in full evidence during the performance with both young and old alike savouring every moment. One of the standout moments, of which there were many, was hearing 16 year old sensation Emma Kok singing 'Voilà'. Kok, born in Rieu's hometown of Maastricht, rose to prominence in 2021 after winning the tenth season of Dutch tv show The Voice Kids and last year her performance of Barbara Pravi's aforementioned song, with Rieu went viral, amassing over 50 million views on YouTube. The teenager, who has had a condition called gastroparesis since being less than a year old, is an inspiration for all. Last year she founded Gastrostars, a foundation to help patients with the same condition.

After almost 2 and a half hours, the show finished up with a performance of Irish standard 'The Wild Rover', made famous by The Clancy Brothers & Tommy Makem and The Dubliners, which sent all in the audience home in a celebratory mood and closed out a brilliant concert in a very fitting fashion.


Photo Credit: Andrè Rieu Productions