Because of the broadcast of his international concerts on local PBS TV in the Delaware Valley, Andre Rieu and his Johann Strauss Orchestra is fairly well known and popular in the region.  I must confess that while I was aware of this Dutch born violinist and his orchestra, I have never watched a complete show on TV or purchased any of his recordings.  However, this past weekend, I was given a set of free tickets to attend his concert at the Boardwalk Hall (the original Convention Hall) in Atlantic City, as the original ticket holders could not make it because of the bad weather (heavy rains).
 
I enjoy music and have fairly eclectic music tastes, so I did not want to miss an opportunity for a new musical experience and accepted the tickets on short notice.  Since it was over a weekend with poor weather and a light schedule, it was easy for me to adjust my plans.  However, it was not as easy to convince my wife to come along with me.  Eventually, she begrudgingly went as I could not identify any one else on short notice who would like to go.  So we left, with little time to spare before the concert was to start...
 
It's an easy drive from our home to Atlantic City.  (The average drive time from anywhere in the South Jersey to Atlantic City is about an hour or less. Even from anywhere in the Delaware Valley, it's close enough to make visits just for the evening.)  When we arrived at the Boardwalk Hall, I dropped my wife off and then drove to one of the high-rise casino parking lots a few blocks down because parking is usually cheaper than immediately around the concert area, and this time was no exception.   I quickly walked back down the boardwalk and joined my wife just as the concert was getting under way.

I've included some links below to Andre Rieu web sites so you can obtain some background about him personally (his father was a classical orchestra conductor and he's classically trained), his musical goals and his talented orchestra.  If you've seen any of the PBS airings of his concerts, they give you a realistic view of how he conducts himself live on stage.  He is a good musician, but he is an excellent and precise showman.  The staging and sound is excellent.  The lighting is very hot, highlighting the orchestra and the colorful dresses of the many females musicians and singers, which made it difficult to get a photo with my cell phone camera due to the bright lights. 

There is great deal of humor (even some prat falls), showmanship and variety throughout the festive program, plus the 10,000+ member audience participated with singing, clapping and even some dancing on the main floor aisles when a couple of waltzes were played.  Rieu is known in Europe as the Waltz King, but his shows include only a few waltzes at most, with a mix of symphonic, opera and light modern classics from the movies or musicals, such as the Phantom of the Opera.  The show went quickly, lasting over two hours with a 15 minute intermission, and concluded with a 20 minute encore set after which he left with the people wanting more.  It was a thoroughly entertaining and enjoyable experience.    It was hard to decide which I enjoyed more, the 3 tenors who sang individually and together, the lady singers, the orchestra soloists, including the ones who played the zither (The Third Man Theme), oboe, clarinet(and bagpipe) and trumpeter.  They are all talented professionals from throughout the world.

The ultimate judge, my wife, who was very reluctant to come as she does not usually like those types of concerts, said that even she enjoyed it.  An older gentleman, sitting behind me, who was a big fan and owned a CD and/or DVD copy of every recording Andre has ever made, was in obvious delight throughout the concert and exclaimed that it was everything he had hoped and expected it to be.   While Rieu may not draw a large younger crowd set in America, he is trying to make classical music more accessible to the masses.  He takes some criticism for making classical music less heavy and more fun, but his international success with large audiences at concerts and millions of CD and DVD sales has confirmed that there is a place for his services.

Atlantic City's historic, but renovated state-of-the-art Boardwalk Hall is a great venue for comfortably experiencing concerts with a good sound system and a clear view of the stage from any seat.  It's location in Atlantic City allows for easy access from anywhere in South Jersey or Delaware Valley.  Parking is plentiful at the hall or at nearby casinos.  You can usually get in and out very quickly or come early to enjoy dining, shopping and other diversions nearby.

Rieu, who by the way speaks at least 6 languages, is currently on his 2007 tour and will be visiting many cities in North America.  Don't miss out on the opportunity to see a talented group of musicians and singers present beautiful music in a festive and enjoyable atmosphere.

More information about Andre Rieu and the Johann Strauss Orchestra:
Andre Rieu official site
Andre Rieu - Wikipedia
Andre Rieu Translations - Information Site by a fan
More About Atlantic City:
Boardwalk Hall - Atlantic City
Atlantic City - Concerts and Other Entertainment
 
 
 
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