Andre Rieu is up for adding some festive fun to classical music

On the record

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Despite outselling Beyonce and playing to bigger crowds than Take That, one of classical music's most recognisable faces, Andre Rieu, is still on a mission.

The 76-year-old Dutchman wants to make classical music fun again in honour of his hero Johann Strauss, saying the genre has become “so elite, and so stiff” with no jokes or humour.

The violinist’s orchestra is named after Strauss, who was nicknamed The Waltz King, and his recently-released album is named Thank You, Johann Strauss! - a 39-track collection that marks would have been the 19th-century musician’s 200th birthday.