The André Rieu Concert That Isn't a Concert

He's a magician, only instead of a wand, he waves the bow of his violin. When André Rieu steps onto a stage, ... enchantment happens: an entire sports palace transforms into a Viennese concert hall, with women dressed in colorful long gowns and men in elegant tailcoats. A party begins, lasting over two hours, shifting from thunderous applause to breathtaking silences, from laughter at Rieu's complicit gestures to the emotion of timeless melodies. A trick that the Dutch violinist and conductor performed last night at Martín Carpena and will repeat this Tuesday with the 8,000 seats of the venue almost completely filled for months. It snowed in the auditorium, there was a tribute to Strauss, humorous scenes, and even dancing to La Macarena with Los del Río adding joy to the body. It was all there. Calling this a concert is an understatement. It was a show from start to finish by the illusionist Rieu.

At exactly 8:00 PM, to the tune of 'Entrance of the Gladiators', André Rieu crossed the Carpena arena followed by his complete orchestra, the Johann Strauss: around 80 artists including musicians and a choir from up to 17 nationalities. "We come from all over the world to play tonight," he said with a passion that makes him unique and allows him to play his 300-year-old Stradivarius with the same ease as he jokes with the audience who arrive late to the concert ("We're Dutch, we're punctual") or makes funny faces when the Platin Tenors powerfully perform the Italian folk song 'Tiritomba'. A comedic note that turns into a shiver the second the three tenors sing 'The impossible dream'.

These are the contrasts that have given André Rieu world fame, increasingly more a conductor than a violinist, though he never puts down the instrument. A true music showman, one of the artists who sells the most tickets worldwide and probably the violinist with the most followers on social media (about 20 million!). In his concerts, the audience claps along with the orchestra and dances to the rhythm of 'The Blue Danube', the conductor speaks before each piece, hundreds of mobile phones record, a snowfall is simulated in the auditorium, and the musicians perform gags among themselves while playing 'Tales from the Vienna Woods' by Johann Strauss, for example. Everything that would be out of place in a traditional classical recital is celebrated here. Nor do the musicians wear strict black, although it's true that this rule is only broken by the women, wearing 'Disney princess' dresses designed by Rieu himself. A somewhat questionable, not contemporary aesthetic, but in the context of the show, it fits quite well.

Beyond the form, the content of the concert is designed as a succession of special moments. With 'The third man', a zither plays; with 'Il Silenzio', the audience is invited to "close your eyes and think of something romantic" as the trumpets sound; a Ukrainian singer from the choir emotionally performs a traditional song from her homeland ('Nitsch Jaka') and a soprano emulates Callas in 'Casta diva'. In front, people from all over, almost as many locals as foreigners, listen attentively.

The Final Touch

But, undoubtedly, one of the most impressive performances of the night was by Michel Tirabosco, a musician with a malformation in his arms that does not prevent him from playing the pan flute with great sensitivity. The most fun was saved for the end. Los del Río jumped onto the stage with overflowing energy despite it being past eleven at night to add a Spanish touch with 'La Macarena' and 'La Bamba'. There was no one left sitting.

The crowned 'king of waltz' traveled to Málaga from the castle in Maastricht where he resides and works to open a Spanish tour that will later take him to the Movistar Arena in Madrid, the Roig Arena in Valencia, and the Palau Sant Jordi in Barcelona; venues reserved this season for Rosalía, Bad Bunny, Eric Clapton, Pablo Alborán... And now there will be those who say that a "serious," "real" symphonic formation wouldn't play these songs or in this manner. Perhaps they would change their mind if they saw the happy faces of the audience in Málaga. "We've been together for 40 years, let's go for the next 40," he predicted.