Monday, May 23, 2011

André Rieu and The Seekers 18.05.2011

André Rieu, born 1st October 1949 at Maastricht in the Netherlands is a violinist, conductor and composer, best known for creating and touring with the waltz-playing Johann Strauss Orchestra.  The Orchestra began in 1987 with 12 members but now performs with between 40 and 50 musicians.  As the Orchestra began touring, there emerged a renewed interest in waltz music.

Rieu's recorded music and live performances have been a cause of controversy in the music and popular press, owing to the “calculated emotionalism and theatrical flourishes of his performances, which, according to many, only cheapen the classical-music experience.”  (See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andr%C3%A9_Rieu)

Few in Rieu's audiences are regular classical music attendees.  The sumptuous Viennese costuming of his performers, lavish backdrops and relaxed, humorous compering make his repertoire of standard classics more accessible and enjoyable to this audience.  Is this a bad thing?  Although I attended this concert to accompany a friend, I freely admit I enjoyed it enormously.

The Seekers were formed in Melbourne in 1962 and were the first Australian popular music group to achieve major success in the United Kingdom and the United States.  I remember buying their records (still have some) and saving up to go to their concerts when I was a student in Brisbane in the 60s.  The group consists of Athol Guy (double bass), Keith Potger and Bruce Woodley (guitarists) with singer Judith Durham.  The group split up in 1968, then re-united in 1992 for 12 years (I saw them during that time as well).  After not performing together for seven years, they united once more at the invitation of André Rieu, for this Australian tour.

This tour was originally scheduled for October 2010, but owing to Rieu's illness, was postponed until May 2011.

While my direct view of the stage was peppered by the heads of the people in front of me, there were two very large, clear and unforgiving screens either side of the stage.  Most of these pictures were taken from the screens.

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André Rieu 18.05.2011

 

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On stage

 

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Strings

 

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Trumpets

 

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Back-up singers

 

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Back-up singers again

 

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“Three tenors” – Australian, Hungarian and German.

 

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Accordionist.  He and his wife, also in the orchestra, have recently had a baby.

 

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Bass players (of course).

 

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Members of the audience being snowed on during a snow bracket.

 

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Only the people at the front were snowed on – we were too far back.

 

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Maestro

 

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Solo cellist for Saint-Saëns’ The Swan.

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Pianist Stephanie playing accompaniment for The Swan.

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Featured singers

 

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Italian backdrop

 

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In Tuscany perhaps.

 

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Now we’re in Vienna.

 

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Harpist and bass players in Vienna.

 

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Blue eyes

 

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When André Rieu was on tour in South Africa, he met soprano Kimmy Skota, and invited her to tour with him.  Her solo was Franz Lehar’s Vilja.

 

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Manoe Konings, from André Rieu’s hometown of Maastricht in the Netherlands, is an original member of the Johann Strauss Orchestra since its formation in 1987.  A cancer survivor, she also plays the bagpipes, on which she played Amazing Grace accompanied by a whistle player.  

 

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Mirusia Louwerse was born in the Brisbane suburb of Birkdale. She graduated in 2006 with a Bachelor of Music (Classical Voice) from the Queensland Conservatorium in Brisbane, and that year also became the youngest ever winner of the Dame Joan Sutherland Opera Award.

Her aunt, who still lives in the Netherlands, contacted André Rieu to tell him about the amazing talent of her niece in Australia.  One thing led to another, and Mirusia has been touring with André Rieu since 2007.

Mirusia’s song was Time to Say Goodbye.

 

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The Beautiful Blue Danube

 

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Over the shoulder

 

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Mosh pit

 

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Balloons for the audience.

This was a bit of a worry – we’d had several goodbye songs, several encores, balloons, the people who wanted to the carpark crush had left, and still no sign of The Seekers.

 

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At last The Seekers!

They sang Georgy Girl, I’ll Never Find  Another You, The Carnival is Over and We Are Australian.

Here is Judith Durham (now 67).

 

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Keith Potger (now 70) and Bruce Woodley (now 68).

You can see that Keith is playing a 12 string guitar.

 

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Athol Guy (now 71).

Is that a Turkish puzzle ring?

 

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Keith, Judith and André.

 

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Bruce Woodley singing the first verse of We Are Australian, which he co-wrote with Dobe Newton from The Bushwackers in 1987.

 

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Judith sings her verse of We Are Australian.

 

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Backdrop for We Are Australian.

1 comment:

  1. Sounds a most enjoyable concert, Jan. And I love the fact that you were snapping away without disturbing anyone...

    ReplyDelete