Spain Tour 2019

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Touring Spain November 2019

After twenty years André Rieu and the Johann Strauss Orchestra returned to Spain for three concerts, one in Madrid (Nov.13), one in Bilbao (Nov.15) and one in Barcelona (Nov.16). Ruud and Ineke attended the Madrid concert and spent a few extra days to see Madrid and Toledo, since they had never been there before. Ineke: We arrived earlier that day and by chance met one of the persons who transports all the necessities and build up the stage, while we were having our lunch in a small restaurant near the venue. We had already seen the trucks of the “Pieter Smit” transportation company in front of the venue. The man told us that they travel with NINE big trucks to bring the decor/stage pieces, sound/light/kitchen equipment, seats, snow, balloons, instruments, dresses, tuxedos and everything else from one venue to another venue. Right after the concert, the stage is dismantled and at night, while driving to Bilbao, the technical staff sleeps in Interliners (buses with beds). They arrive the next day at the new venue in time to build everything up again. André and the orchestra took the plane to the next venue. Many fans don’t realize how much work is involved to travel around the world with a “circus” of 150 persons and a lot of stuff…..

12.000 people travelled to the Wizink Center in Madrid to attend the concert. In front of the Center is a big square with a monument, called the Dali Dolman. Salvador Dali is a world famous Spanish surrealist artist.

Suzan and Lotte from André Rieu Travel: top hostesses. Photo to the right: Ingrid, the translator.

The always impressive Concerto d’Aranjuez.

Christina Petrou, Ellie Moran, Donij van Doorn.

Los del Rio with the Macarena and La Bamba. Stephanie tapdancing on the piano.

Ruud and Ineke were in Madrid in the snow zone!!

From the Palau Sant Jordi venue in Barcelona: Comments by fans on Facebook:

Dutch TV program: Show News (SBS6) of Saturday November 16th 2019.

Videoclip from André’s Facebook account:

Photo credits: Jeannette Heijkoop and André Rieu Productions.

Isabelle de Graeve: Great concert in Barcelona with a very diplomatic André. Admirable approach of the delicate political situation in Catalunia. Amazing as always.

André on Facebook: Thank you, Madrid, for all your enthusiasm at yesterday’s concert! Thank you Bilbao! And a huge THANK YOU to our 15.000 fans last night in Barcelona for your incredible enthusiasm! Gracias! We love you!

Jeannette Heijkoop: André Rieu and his Johann Strauss Orchestra had a concert in a sold out Palau de Sant Jordi in Barcelona on November 16th 2019. The audience was very enthusiastic especially when Concerto de Aranjuez was announced and after the performance of Donij. When announcing Song of Joy, André always speaks about freedom for all people. In Barcelona he did well not to respond to reactions from the audience regarding the independence of Catalonia (a hot item at the moment in Barcelona). He just smiled. When playing the Blue Danube a lot of people were dancing. Spanish people danced with foreign people without speaking their language, just the language of music.

Nine Pieter Smit trucks to transport all the necessities for André’s traveling “circus” from one venue to another. Photo credits: Maria Pereira.

Two more luxury buses to bring André and the Orchestra members from their hotel to the venue and back. Photo credits: Maria Pereira.

April 2021 Our friend Maite Funtanet Reglero (from Catalonia, Spain), sent us the video below, which she found on YouTube. It is about the last songs during the Madrid concert (Nov. 13, 2019), taken by a fan from the audience. Special is that you can see Ruud and me in this video.