Dust off those dancing shoes – after two long years, cinema’s biggest music event is back! Maestro André Rieu will present his brand-new summer concert, Happy Days Are Here Again, against the backdrop of the stunning Vrijthof Square in his beloved hometown of Maastricht. ‘Happy Days Are Here Again’ will be summer’s blockbuster cinema event, shown in Irish cinemas over the weekend of 27th and 28th August 2022. Below André Rieu talks about his excitement at returning to cinemas for another spectacle.
Welcome Back, how was the Dublin 3arena tour for you after been away so long ?
It was so great to be back in Ireland, I really missed it. Two years of not performing is quite a long time… You know, music is just like oxygen for me; I can’t live too long without it. Ireland has a special little spot in my heart, because the Irish are such musical people: in every corner of every street in Dublin, one can hear somebody singing or playing an instrument. Also my audience sings and dances along almost every piece we play! It really touches my heart when I see that, so therefore, happy to be back on the “Emerald Isle”!
What can audiences expect from the special event screening in August ?
This will be a fantastic event like you’ve never seen before: it’s just like a real life concert experience, I bet you’ll forget that you’re in a cinema within five minutes. There is a lot of fantastic music: wonderful waltzes, dreamy arias, magnificent melodies from movies and musicals and so much more… There will be outstanding sopranos, the Platin Tenors and some other nice surprises I won’t reveal yet…
Many people travel from all over the world to Maastricht, any funny stories ? anywhere really far away and unusual ?
Maastricht is like a home game for all of us: we’ve been touring the whole year, and then we come home on the Vrijthof Square. On that very moment, the entire world seems to travel to my hometown in order to see us there – I’m so proud and thrilled by that! A couple of years ago, we counted nearly 100 nationalities from almost 100 countries! Isn’t that unbelievable? It all started back in 2005 with only three concerts, upcoming summer there will be fifteen of them: each concert is visited by more than 11,000 people! It feels so great to make so many people happy with my music… it’s like a dream!
When will you be back in Ireland
You won’t have to wait very long, I will be back next year to perform once again: on April 21 to be exact. Hopefully we’ll meet again!
Happy Days Are Here Again , what makes you happy?
Happy people make me happy, but also being able to play again and to go on concert tours… Last but not least: my five gorgeous grand children: I’m a spoiling grand father, I know, but when I have these five little jewels in front of me, I’m the happiest man in the whole world.