The Dutch violinist and conductor André Rieu transported his musical universe to Bogotá on Wednesday night in the first of four concerts, where he showcased classical and modern compositions from Europe and America before a crowd that applauded him from start to finish.
In his second visit to the Colombian capital after the concert series in 2019, Rieu and his Johann Strauss Orchestra won the hearts of the audience with a diverse repertoire.
The party began with his triumphant entrance to the Movistar Arena with the march ‘Entrance of the Gladiators’ by Czech composer Julius Fucik, and concluded with the popular Mexican song ‘Cielito lindo,’ after featuring international hits like ‘I Will Survive’ and ‘Can’t Help Falling in Love.’
“Good evening, ladies and gentlemen. These are the only words I know how to say in Spanish,” said the Maastricht artist, who joked about the musical tastes of the people of Bogotá in a constant interaction with the audience.
Sublime notes
After performing ‘Blaze Away,’ Rieu had the audience singing along with ‘Volare,’ sung by three tenors who returned later to the stage to perform ‘Nessun Dorma’ in the first sublime moment of this concert, which is part of his world tour.
The more festive rhythm of ‘Circus Renz’ showcased the skills of the violinists and percussionists of the orchestra, accompanied by the audience’s clapping, giving way to ‘Voilá,’ performed by soloist Emma Kok.
Kok, 16, won the 2021 ‘The Voice Kids’ contest in the Netherlands, and due to a stomach disorder, has been fed with a tube since she was a baby. She created a foundation to help others suffering from the same illness. The audience responded to her masterful performance with a standing ovation.
The Johann Strauss Orchestra closed the first part with an excerpt from the operetta ‘The Gypsy Princess.’
The second act, which began with ‘Think of Me,’ a composition by Andrew Lloyd Webber from ‘The Phantom of the Opera,’ built up to the bullfighting pasodoble ‘España cañí.’
Among Greek songs like ‘Children of the Piraeus’ and from Ukraine, like ‘Nitsch Jaka,’ performed by soprano Anna Reker dressed in traditional attire from her country and warmly received and applauded by the audience, Rieu and his orchestra returned to operetta with an excerpt from ‘The Merry Widow.’
The night had another emotional moment with ‘The Blue Danube,’ which led many attendees to dance the waltz within the venue. Thus, the second part came to an exquisite close with ‘Hallelujah,’ the chorus from Handel’s ‘Messiah.’
‘The Radetzky March’ by Strauss; ‘Can’t Help Falling in Love’ by Elvis Presley; ‘Sirtaki,’ the dance of Zorba the Greek; ‘I Will Survive’ by Gloria Gaynor, among other pieces, took the Bogotá audience to a peak in the third and final part.
The Colombian touch
For the finale, the artist and his orchestra reserved the presentation of young Colombian Daniel Sanabria Torres, who, at one of his concerts in Bogotá five years ago, played a plastic flute during a power outage in the venue.
Rieu invited him to meet with him the next day, gifted him a real flute, and he is now part of his orchestra.
And so, the curtain fell at the Movistar Arena with the notes of the Colombian national anthem and a Latin American touch with ‘Cielito lindo’ that added a nostalgic finish to the night. Information and image: Efe