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Translation of the text in the booklet
On July 13th, 2009 the Dutch TNT Post issued a booklet with nine stamps dedicated to the 30 year jubilee of André Rieu.
Whilst stock last these booklets can be ordered from the Dutch TNT Post.
For people living in The Netherlands go to http://collectclub.tntpost.nl
On the left hand side of the screen click on "Boekjes" and then on "Persoonlijke Postzegelboekjes". Select the quantity and follow the on screen information.
For people living outside of The Netherlands you cannot use the website to order the booklets. Please send an email to collectclub@tntpost.nl with your personal details and the amount of booklets you want to order. The TNT Post will contact you about the further steps. The cost of each booklet is € 9.95.
For shipments inside Europe, shipping and handling is € 7.50 per order and outside Europe it is € 15!
Suggestion: find a few friends who want to have one or more booklets, then place a single order and distribute the booklets locally.
1949.
André's father and his highly pregnant mother, move from Amsterdam to Maastricht. A few days later André is born. So just at the last minute he became a Maastricht inhabitant. At that time he already has two sisters and later on two more brothers and a sister were born.
1954.
André and his brothers and sisters grew up with classical music: symphonies, chamber music, opera. Encouraged by his father, conductor of the Limburg Symphony Orchestra, André starts his violin lessons at the age of 5.
1967.
After secondary School, André continues his violin studies at the music acadamies of Liege (Belgium) and Maastricht until 1973. He takes lessons from Jo Juda and Herman krebbers.
1974.
André moves to the Music Academy of Brussels, where he receives lessons from André Gertler.
1975.
During his studies, André marries his big love, Marjorie.
1977.
André concludes his music education in Brussels with honors.
1978.
André's and Marjorie's first son is born. He is named: Marc. In the same year André founded his first orchestra: The Maastricht Salon Orchestra. They performed in The Netherpands, Germany and even in the U.S.A. During the same time, André plays in the Limburg Symphony Orchestra (till 1989).
1981.
André's and Marjorie's second son is born: Pierre.
1987.
André forms the Johann Strauss Orchestra.
AR: "The JSO exists since 1987. At first we rehearsed for half a year. In the beginning the orchestra consisted of only 12 members. Now we have 43 and on big venues even 50". In that same year the new orchestra leader and his wife organized their own company: André Rieu Productions BV.
1988.
On New Year's Day the big moment arrived: André Rieu and his Johann Strauss Orchestra conduct their first concert. Followed by few short tours through the Benelux (Belgium, Netherlands, Luxemburg) and Germany.
1994.
The album "Strauss and Co" was released in the Netherlands and causes a waltz mania in the small country of the Netherlands.
AR: "This CD was my definite break through. One of the pieces of music on this CD is the "Second Waltz", a wonderful melancholic waltz. The real name of the piece is "Waltz number two from Jazz Suite number two", by Dimitri Shostakovich. With a title like that it would never have become a hit! Marjorie named it "the second waltz" and that is how this piece of music became famous".
Strauss and Co rose rapidly to the highest place in the Top 100 and remained more than a year in the Top 10.
1995.
During an international soccer match in the Ajax Stadium and during intermission, André fills the Stadium with the Second Waltz. The supporters sway and sing along loudly. Ajax wins the match against Bayern München (Germany) and André gains thousands of new fans.
After a concert in Hamburg and several performances on TV, the CD "Strauss and Co" is also released in Germany, where it immediately rises to the top of the Charts and lands up in the Top 5. The CD stays there for months and receives several golden and platinum records.
1996.
André Rieu is bombarded by the media as the modern King of Waltz. He launches his albums "Wiener Melange" and "In Concert" on the European music market. Again he is profiling himself on the Charts in several countries, and he can 1996 he receives his first World Music Award in Monte Carlo, even compete with international pop icons like Madonna. In next to stars like Michael Jackson and Diana Ross.1996 he receives his first World Music Award in Monte Carlo,next to stars like Michael Jackson and Diana Ross.
1997.
A busy year with lots of hard work. André does not have much time for his private life and his family and is continuously on the road with the JSO. Several concert tours take the charming conductor and his orchestra through Europe. Still André takes the time to record the CD "Stille Nacht", with which he fulfills a personal wish.
AR: "During the making of this CD, we selected Christmas songs from my youth. They bring back memories of the Christmas days at home, with my parents and also the many H. Masses in which I sang in the church choir.
1998.
In the album "Romantic Moments", the waltz king emphasizes dreamy, romantic melodies, like the "Love Theme" of Romeo and Julia.
AR: "Romantic Moments" is a completely different CD than all the other ones. I love to listen to this music when I relax. I live a hectic life but in fact I am a romantic person who loves serenity. Antonin Dvorak's music makes me very happy".
1999.
On June 3rd 1899, the King of Waltz Johann Strauss jr. died in Vienna. Exactly 100 years after his death André Rieu releases the album "100 years Strauss".At the end of 1999 André and his orchestra say goodbye to the millennium with the CD "Fiesta".
2000.
AR about the CD "La Vie est Belle".
"All my life I have been composing. As a young boy I improvised beautiful melodies on the violin and later also on the piano. For the first time I composed a waltz together with my brother Jean-Philippe, and placed it on the Cd "La Vie est Belle".
2001.
First Japanese tour. And the building of his own studio, where André; can record his own CD's, video's, DVD's and Specials, from the beginning to the end. The first product produced in the André Rieu Studios, "Dreaming", proves the studio to be a big success.
2002.
André's youngest son Pierre joins the company. He is in charge of all the business, such as technical production around the concerts and recordings. The second product of André Rieu Studios "Tour d'Amour", is released in seven different versions around the world.
2003.
The Japanese tour included 17 concerts. To celebrate his 25 years jubilee, André releases in the fall a jubilee CD: "Romantic Paradise. To include the fans in the celebration, Romantic Paradise appears as a double CD. The second CD is free. They are an enormous success.The Romantic Paradise Special is recorded in the Italian town Cortona. André invites his fans to join the recordings of three concerts, all for free. Fans from all over the world travel to Cortona to experience this indescribable beautiful event. Later on in the year the preparations start for the USA/Canada tour.
2004.
Beginning 2004 the Romantic Paradise Special recorded in Cortona, is nominated for the Golden Rose Award of Montreux. In June a spectacular concert was performed for an audience of 18.000 in Parkstad Stadium in Kerkrade (town in Limburg). A CD and a DVD were made of this performance, called: "The flying Dutchman".
2005.
After the traditional New Year's Concert in the Cologne Arena and the successful tour in Germany, Austria and France, the flying Dutchman flies to the USA and Canada, for a tour of 19 concerts. Afterwards the preparations start for a new CD and Special, to be recorded in a unique location: The Vrijthof in André's home town of Maastricht. In the autumn the new CD (and DVD) "Songs from my heart" appears. At the end of the year a big tour in Canada and the USA follows. This time to the west coast.
2006.
The year starts in the traditional style with a winter tour in Germany and France. In April and May André returns to the USA and Canada, to perform in 25 towns!In July a new office in New York opens the doors. July 2006 is the busiest month ever. In Vienna, in front of the Schönbrunn Palace a gigantic Special has been recorded. A week later André performs with three midsummer concerts in Maastricht, with a performance of the Harlem Gospel Choir. One week later this choir is on a stage in New York with André, where a second Special is recorded in the Radio City Music Hall. The roof is blown off of New York's most famous theater. Both specials were released on DVD and CD. September 2006: four concerts in Tokyo. Oct/Nov/Dec. concerts in USA's west coast, Canada, Germany, Belgium. André Rieu is a true flying Dutchman!
2007.
A report of the 2006 American tour is broadcast on Dutch TV in January, as a TV series of six episodes, and it is later on released on a DVD as: "André Rieu, on his way to New York".In March André tours with his orchestra through Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Belgium and France, followed by a tour through the USA and Canada. Again this year too, André gives concerts on the Vrijthof in Maastricht.
A concert in the Efteling is broadcast by German and Dutch TV. In the fall André visits Australia to promote his concerts. That is the beginning of a true AR madness. In October he became the first artist in history to reach the Top 10 with 9 DVD's.The CD and DVD "André in Wonderland" is released, both recorded in the Efteling.
Dec. 14 and 15 André performs in the Roger's Center in Toronto, Canada (the biggest indoor Stadium of the world), with the replica of the Viennese Schönbrunn Palace. This was the start of a huge World Stadium Tour, called: "A romantic Vienna Night".
2008.
The Stadium Tour also goes to Europe. The stage is a copy of the Imperial Palace Schönbrunn. It is the biggest transportable stage of the world. André performs with over 250 artists. The concerts are a big success. In addition to the concert were: the ballet of the Viennese Opera, 80 Viennese Debutants, a golden carriage, ice dancers from Vienna. The autumn is Australia, where André breaks record after record with his CD's and DVD's. He is the most successful artist of 2007 and 2008, with over two million items sold.
Beginning in November, André tours with over 500 employees through Australia with his Schönbrunn copy. Almost 300.000 people attend his concerts. The Melbourne concert had over 38.000 visitors and is broadcast live on Australian and Dutch TV. A DVD "Live in Australia" is released.
2008 was for André a bumper year. At the end of the year his name appears as the only classical artist, in the Top 10 of the Pollstar List. That is the list of the best selling tours in the world.
2009.
Traditionally the year starts with the successful New Year's Concerts in Cologne, followed by a tour in Germany, Austria and Switzerland. In March a tour is planned for Japan. April, May, June, André tours North America/Canada with 35 concerts. At the end of the year it is again Australia, this time with a Stadium Tour in all the big cities. By the end of January the tour is virtually sold out.
Original text and pictures ©Koninklijke TNT PostDutch translation by Ineke and John.Text, pictures or translation may not be copied and/or re-published without prior written permission.
André Rieu Stamp Booklet
