Acclaimed Dutch orchestra leader and violinist André Rieu lives in De Torentjes, a 16th-century castle in his hometown of Maastricht, Netherlands. The 76-year-old, known as the King of the Waltz, is said to be worth £30 million, yet remains humble about his success.
Castle beginnings and the violin
Rieu had his first piano lessons in the castle tower at age six. “I still don’t like to play the piano because she was a b***h! I enjoyed the violin more,” he says. The violin is special because “it gives so much feeling for me. With the violin you can make the girls cry.” He started with a Stradivarius from 1668 and now plays a Guarneri from 1742. “It’s a great honour that I can take it out of the case, put it under my chin and play.”
Founding the Johann Strauss Orchestra
Next year marks 40 years since Rieu founded his Johann Strauss Orchestra in 1987. “I remember 1987 very well. It was midwinter, it was very cold and I went to a school to ask if we could do the rehearsal… There were just 12 of us,” he recalls. Now the orchestra has 60 members. Rieu’s shows are lavish, with ballgowns and a sense of fun, and have broken world records in sales and audience attendances. “You can really switch off… People love to have three hours of simply beautiful music and be touched.”
Family and marriage
Rieu has been married to wife Marjorie for over 50 years. They have two sons, Pierre and Marc. “From the moment I saw her I knew that she was going to be my wife,” he says. Marjorie encouraged him to buy the castle. Rieu has five grandchildren and is expecting a sixth in December. He says his parents “didn’t believe in me. My mother was a cold person and my father was conducting. They were not very interested in me.” His father died before his success; his mother saw it but never gave a compliment.
Health, habits, and touring
Rieu stays fit with a personal trainer and weights, grows his own vegetables without pesticides, and hasn’t drunk alcohol for 15 years. He stopped smoking at 25. He also bakes, planning to make an apple pie after the interview. When asked about maintaining a castle, he jokes: “Never buy a castle! It’s very expensive.” He is touring the UK in September and his concert film Viva Maastricht! will be in cinemas on August 8 and 9. He loves British audiences: “They are full of humour and that is so nice.”
