Long live the king of waltz

Rieu and his Johann Strauss Orchestra offer audiences an audio-and-visual experience that takes them back to the golden age of Europe.

"He has high expectations for the Asian market, and is ready to take some financial risks as audiences here are not familiar with his act. Andre chose to give the performance in the Mercedes-Benz Arena rather than a traditional concert hall, because he wanted a different experience."

Rieu was born to a musical family in 1949. His father was a conductor, and he started to learn to play the violin at 5. As a child, "I remember the huge orchestra and the wonderful sound it made ... but even then I can remember being surprised at the somber atmosphere during the concerts. Everybody looked so serious. You weren't supposed to cough or laugh, even though the music seemed to me to radiate so much joy!" Rieu says on his official website.

He believes this atmosphere intimidates people and keeps them away from classical music, and he set out to create an orchestra that is different.

"You'll see me and the orchestra, and the audience, too, all having a lot of fun together," he says.

The internationally awarded violinist has managed to maintain high quality for the orchestra and music, Tang says. Rieu and JSO have won a number of awards together, including two world music awards. Recordings of these concerts have gone gold and platinum in many countries.

Traditionally violinists and pianists also worked as the conductor of the orchestra, but now only a handful of musicians carry on with the practice and Rieu is one of them.

Rieu has involved some incredible people with his act, Tang says. Among his repertoire, And the Waltz Goes On has been composed by the Oscar-award winning actor Sir Anthony Hopkins.

For his performance in Shanghai, German athlete Britta Heidemann will work as the interpreter onstage. Heidemann is a world champion in fencing and won a gold medal at the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing.

Rieu will play a 1667 Stradivarius violin. More than 60 members of JSO will be on tour with him in China.

If you go:

Mercedes-Benz Arena, 1200 Expo Avenue, Pudong New Area, Shanghai.

7:30 pm, April 12.

021-5150-9199.