'Performing is my greatest joy'

Legendary musician and conductor André Rieu on touring, his latest project and the most famous stars that he's played for

- ARIANA LONGSON

It’s been over seven decades since André Rieu first picked up a violin and, despite an illustrious career that has seen him perform all over the globe and sell over 40 million records worldwide, the musician and conductor shows no signs of slowing down. ‘Why would I?’ he tells Woman’s Weekly.

‘Having my own orchestra was always my dream and so I'm living my dream,’ he explains. ‘Why would I stop? I’m healthy and I hope to go on like this for many years to come.’

So, what do the next few months look like for the star? ‘We're currently preparing for our Christmas concerts; I hope they will be as successful as always.’ Revealing the reason behind his annual festive concerts, André says, ‘I think it’s the best way to enter into Christmas, the holiday atmosphere and season. I really love Christmas, it’s the best time of the year, and so to put a programme together with 300 singers, my orchestra and dancers is amazing. Would you believe it, we even have an ice rink with ice skaters skating during the concert!’