Andre Rieu South Australia Friendship Group August, 2010
REPORT ON THE SOUTH AUSTRALIAN ANDRÉ RIEU FRIENDSHIP GROUP MEETING - MONDAY AUGUST 30 2010
On what can only be described as a perfect Autumn Day, after a week of flooding rains and very cold weather, it was a pleasure to head off the the Director's Hotel for our latest monthly AR meeting. Over the past couple of months, our numbers had been down, so today's 11 was a pleasant surprise. It's also pleasing to have the numbers of men growing to four. Good stuff fellas, keep those numbers up.
We welcomed for the first time, Mavis, who was kindly picked up by Terry on the way into the city. Mavis will only be able to join us in the months containing a 5thMonday, therefore look forward to having her company again for our last meeting of the year in November.
We received an inability to attend from Ann, who had a prior appointment.
Obviously, the first topic of interest was the ill health of the Great Man. You may remember after our Anniversary lunch, my reporting that we had a very lively debate during that afternoon, with the regards to what would happen, if the unbelievable did occur and our dear Maestro was laid low with illness. If my memory serves me well, I don't think any of us could give any reasonable answers. Well, now we know the impossible has happened and that our Darlin' André is mortal after all.
On behalf of all the SAARFG and I'm sure all AR fans around the world, I would like to take this opportunity of wishing him well and that he has a speedy, full recovery.
Whilst eating lunch, the downloaded handouts made the rounds of the table. Much interest was shown in the story from the Fans and Friends site on the wonderful trumpeter, Melissa Venema. I told the group, that I'd make inquiries in Adelaide to try and find out if her 2 CD's are available in Australia and more so in Adelaide. More on that at a later date if I'm lucky enough to find a stockist locally. I know of one music store who may be able to get it in for me if it's not readily available here.
Even though we were still finishing off our lunch, it was decided to play the 2nd disc from the new"African Dream", which was released last Friday. Mavis also came with her copy she'd just bought. We haven't seen the 1st disc which is the 'on the way to Africa' documentary. If his new Maastricht DVD isn't out before our September meeting, we may watch that side, but today, our group were more interested in watching the concert. I think the popular consensus was that it was a fabulous concert.
The African music made the show and Kimmy was the star of the day. You could see her growing in confidence each time she sang something new. The nerves would have been jangling, pretty much, before she took to the stage for the first time and hers and Mirusia's reaction when she left the stage after "Ave Maria" was priceless.
Another thing that we found interesting, was the amount of people in the audience - and might I say, on stage as well - who were in floods of tears. That emotion was really getting to me too, I have to admit. Again, André never ceases to amaze when putting on a concert in a new location, intertwining the old and true with the culture and history of the country in which he is appearing.
At the end of the DVD, our group left slowly, with moods that could only be described as light and happy.
Our next meeting for September is on Monday 27th at the Director's Hotel from 12.30- 2.30.
Look forward to seeing most if not all of you then.
Regards
Lyndall and Rob.
p.s. I have been asked to give a gentle reminder to those attending my party, that the date is Sept 11 from 8 -12.
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