Classics get them waltzing in aisles
The Age
Saturday October 31, 2009
ANDRE RIEU 2009 ARENA TOUR Rod Laver Arena, until tomorrow. SELLING waltzes to the warfarin crowd has made Andre Rieu an international superstar. The Dutchman's music doesn't so much thin the blood as warm the heart, injecting fun into a form dominated by dour black-clad orchestras.Rieu's new show is less elaborate than his Docklands Stadium extravaganza, which had an ice-skating rink and horse-drawn carriages, but the intent and effect is the same.This is an evening of shimmering fantasy, where women in ballgowns and men in tuxedos play heart-wrenching arias from Tosca alongside storming marches from Carmen (better known to this crowd as Geelong Football Club's song) and pop stints, including a medley from My Fair Lady.Shamelessly populist in their song selection, Rieu and his Johann Strauss Orchestra have fun with themselves and the crowd. When the women are off-stage getting changed, for example, the male players break out beers and clown around.It's lucky the orchestra has a good time, because it lacks the precision and skill of more polished outfits. Cues are missed and the group sounds hollow in the arena. A trio of tenors and some female soloists give them punch, particularly on a thumping Ode to Joy. A tribute to Michael Jackson, through his Earth Song, fell flat.The show is nothing fans won't have seen: Rieu had 21 of the top 50 music DVDs last year. But few other classical shows have people literally waltzing in the aisles, simply enjoying themselves.
© 2009 The Age
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