Long live the king of waltz

Andre Rieu recreates the ambience of the early 20th-century Belle Epoque. Photos Provided to China Daily

Get ready to clap, jump and have a rollicking good time when Dutch violinist-conductor Andre Rieu performs in Shanghai. Zhang Kun reports.

Andre Rieu is "another name for waltz", a Chinese music critic has said.

The Dutch violinist-conductor and his Johann Strauss Orchestra play the waltz like no other group, according to Rudolph Tang. Tang says: "He is a dream maker; he is the king of waltz."

Rieu will make his China debut on April 12, at Shanghai's Mercedes-Benz Arena. In contrast to the serious and silent experience of other classical concerts, audiences should get ready to sway with the conductor and orchestra, hum along, clap and even jump up and down.

Rieu has had very successful tours in many countries of Europe and other parts of the world since he founded JSO in 1987. He was involved in a waltz revival, encouraging greater public interest in the genre.

At Rieu's concerts, women musicians wear giant hoop skirts in bright colors, and men wear sashes on their shoulder. "He has had great success reproducing the ambience of the early 20th-century Belle Epoque," Tang says.

Rieu and JSO's playing brings audiences back to the golden age of Europe, before World War I, when Europe was wrapped in an optimistic atmosphere, with confidence in the future, and great breakthroughs were achieved in art, science and technology. Johann Strauss was the Elvis Presley of the time. People used to dance to his waltz until they collapsed.

"This Shanghai concert marks his first visit to Asia," says Wu Liangyu, a staff member with Shining On Culture Co, Ltd, the company responsible for the promotion of the much-anticipated gig in Shanghai.