When we stood in the queue at Computicket at the Menlyn Shopping centre in Pretoria on the 11th December 2009 to buy tickets for Andre Rieu, we were about fifth in the queue: Ronel Greyvensteyn, Pieter Venter, myself and my sister and my friend Ria. Marga Ley (journalist from The Beeld newspaper) was directly in front of me. We did not know each other from a bar of soap. Marga the journalist, asked me why we were in the queue (Computicket is a booking service for any show anywhere), I said: Andre Rieu of course! She asked where we had heard that he was coming to SA, and I replied "In the Beeld of 10th December". It turned out that she (Marga) had written the story and that she was directly in contact with the man. There was some chaos, one of the ticket terminals wasn't working properly, and the queue started getting longer. Everybody behind us was getting impatient. An hour later, all of us, after having started conversing with one another, went to a coffee bar and the "Andre Rieu Koffiemoerklub" (Andre Rieu Coffee club) came into existence, and whilst in the coffeebar, we all stood up and hollered (to the astonishment of all who walked past us): "ANDRE RIEU ROCKS!!!".

Marga, being a journalist, enquired from everyone what it was about Andre Rieu that made us react in this way. My first reaction was to say he was soft on the eye (which of course he is!). After much laughter and thought, I phoned her later the day and explained my sentiments thus:

Into a world that sometimes leaves much to be desired and to feel really good about, comes a man from Holland, and with music, which transcends all language barriers, he brings joy and laughter to the world. What had impressed me the most after having watched many of his DVD's (and I blew my budget since November 2009 buying them all), was the facial expressions of the audiences over the world. And the facial expressions of all the members of his wonderful JSO. Who else can do this? Who else has ever done this with music?

Andre's been instrumental in the many many friendships forged across the globe. He "opens up", if you will, classical music to people who would normally never consider listening to, or attend a classical concert. Both my parents were musicians - my father played clarinet and tuba, my mother could play Chopin on the piano with her eyes closed. I had attended the Bamberger Simphoniker Orchestra's concert in the State Theatre in Pretoria when the theatre opened. Of course there is a place for this kind of classical experience - Brahms Symphony 1, etc, VERY SERIOUS!

But what Andre Rieu brings to the world is what music is supposed to bring to the world. JOY, PLEASURE, BEAUTY, TEARS AND LAUGHTER, LOVE, AND GEMUTLICHKEIT (a German expression for a feeling of wellbeing). THIS is what our troubled world needs. Very old people are rejuvenated by his music, sick people find comfort (and I'm sure some of them actually get well), and people who are in pain, get solace. Simply put, he is an extraordinary human being.

The concert at Sun City on the 25th April was the most incredible experience of my life. And I have a hunch in everyone there felt the same (and still do).

Andre is loved by women and men of all ages, children and youngsters of all ages. I believe that he has sold over 300 million DVD's world wide. That of course MUST mean that many millions more watch him do his thing, because 1 DVD is not watched by 1 person only!

What more can I say. I have run out of adjectives to describe it all. He is a phenomenon. Personally, I am proud that my mother tongue (which is Afrikaans) is directly descended from Dutch, because our Dutch forefathers landed here on the 6th April 1652 with Jan van Riebeeck and his three little sail-ships. And Afrikaans evolved from Dutch.

What a privilege.

Marianne

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