Customer Reviews

Andre Rieu - The Homecoming

5 star:		(59)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Well, Finally it arrives in US. The most beautiful and one of the MUST MUST HAVE DVD of Andre Rieu and his Johann Strauss Orchestra. This is the same DVD called SONGS FROM MY HEART (European Release of 2005) with a new US marketing name The HOMECOMING. Concert has 28 tracks in 2 parts, and they are:

Part 1
1.Carmen - Ouverture
2.Fliegermarsch/Aviator's March
3.Du bist mit Gold nicht zu bezahlen/You're worth your weight in gold
4.Vilja Lied/Vilja Song (by Carmen)
5.Heut' ist der schönste Tag (by The Platin Tenors)
6.Ach ich hab' in meinem Herzen (by The Platin Tenors)
7.Concierto de Aranjuez (church bells played by Frank)
8.Es läuten die Glocken von Limburg/Swinging bells of Limburg
9.Funiculi, Funicula
10.Im weißen Rössl/The White Horse Inn (The Platin Tenors and Carmen, Carla, Susan)
11.Second Waltz
12.Chiantilied/Chianti Song
13.Maastrichter Hymne/Maastricht Anthem (Carmen, Carla, Susan)

Part 2
14.Radetzky March
15.Ob blond, ob braun (The Platin Tenors)
16.I Could Have Danced All Night (Carmen, Carla, Susan)
17.With A Little Bit Of Luck (Carmen, Carla, Susan)
18.Die Juliska aus Budapest/Juliska from Budapest (Carla)
19.Memory (Susan)
20.Als flotter Geist/A Bright Young Man/Strauss Medley
21.Toselli Serenade
22.Libiamo (The Platin Tenors and Carmen, Carla, Susan)
23.La donna e mobile
24.Auld lang syne
25.Ode an Maastricht (song by a local singer)
26.Guten Abend gut' Nacht/Lullaby
27.Einzugsmarsch/Entry March
28.Maastricht, Stadt der fröhlichen Sänger/Maastricht,City of Jolly Singers

It is an open air concert in Andre Rieu's home town (in summer of 2005) in Maastricht (NL) and has wonderful song selections from waltzes to classical pieces, from Broadway to polkas. With great atmosphere of concert, it returns to an open air party with lots of joy and beautiful music. People are dancing and singing in the streets along with Andre Rieu and Johann Strauss Orchestra.

This DVD is 16:9 in screen format with some bonus features on disc. Andre speaks in Dutch, but subtitles are available. On the Other hand audio is Dolby5.0 (please see comments below) and Dolby2.0. Soloists are Susan Erens, Carla Maffioletti, Carmen Monarcha and The Platin Tenors. As extra features it has a 25 minutes TV special by local tv and three extra tracks namely My Father's Favorite, Halleluja, Milord. Also there is a 2 minutes rapid motion video showing preparations for the concert.

I strongly recommend this DVD to all fans and starters of this genre. You will have great joy and you will find yourself watching this DVD over and over again. Also I can recommend this DVD as a gift for your friends and loved-ones, you won't be disappointed and (believe me) they will adore your choice...

This is my 3rd. Andre dvd, I love the first 2 and did not think they could be matched. But the homecoming is 100% perfect. From beginning to end I feel like singing and danceing!
I watch it often with my grandchildren,they will dance to it the whole time it is on. They love it as much as I do.
This dvd will put you in a happy mood!

Not certain..but i believe Andre's latest DVD "Songs from my Heart" that I purchased from his website is "Homecoming" (USA)version. Every time he puts out a DVD..i keep saying..this is the best one yet..well..here we go again..there are 28 tracks on this DVD..for me..every one was enjoyable..he performed this in his hometown Maastrich. He has 3 tenors as guest's..they are fabulous..and when they perform with Andre's 3 sopranos..unbeatable..when Carmen does "Song of Vilja"..your heart will melt..for all the Andre fans..this DVD is a must for your collection..I hope the USA company putting out "Homecoming" has improved in quality..seems in the past they have not been up to par with the European versions.

Since Woodstock, Rock and Roll has had its super events, ie. Happenings. Luciano Pavarotti was famous for them for opera lovers. Andre Rieu is the master of Happenings for Romantics, people who love contemporary and light classical music in the romantic vein.

"The Homecoming" is Andre's best happening yet. Here he is showing his love for Maastricht his hometown. His productions in Dublin and Tuscany Italy were outstanding but they were in other lands than from which he sprang. His use of the town itself and its town square as his location add to this love affair.

It differs from his other productions in that the majority of the audiance is from this town rich in over 2000 years of history. Andre's selection of songs not only brings out their cultural loves but their passionate love of Maastricht. Being from the United States I am not use to cities with City Anthems and very, very few with multiple love songs sung to them.

There is far more audience participation in the songs presented with thousands of people matching the vocal performers word for word.

This is a MUST for all romantics let alone all Andre Rieu fans!

None of your readers mentioned BENNY NEYMAN, who appears as the mystery guest on this magnifient DVD.
Benny is an aging (but gracefully) 56 year old tenor, a Dutch hero and very famous especialy in hs hometown of Maastricht where this DVD was recorded. Benny is a cross between Frank Sinatra/ Julio Iglesias and Charles Aznevour. at all stages of his career. He is still doing concerts all over Europe. I am an 80 year old grandmother and this composer/singer really turns me on. This DVD is worth buying for Benny's 10 minutes alone but the whole concert is en enthusiastic beautiful version of life, Maastricht style with huge audience participation and an international treat. Andre Rieu brings so much joy to his music. I commend him and all of his DVD's. Bettie Magee Natick, Massachusetts, USA

One word, WOW! Having attended every concert, this DVD is a full concert. Great music, full of joy. It is a foot thumper if you like European music sprinkled with good old American show songs.

Last night, Alessandra Prado, Carmen Bradley, Lina Navarini, Alexander J. Ariano and I had the opportunity to see Andre Rieu, LIVE, at the Bank Atlantic Center, in Sunrise, Florida, which he kept up calling Fort Lauderdale.

As he enters the room, the sounds of his violin capture our spirits and we knew we were in for a delightful experience. All orchestra members dressed to replicate the times when the Waltz was at its best, to share the magic of Vienna with fans, and to provide us with sheer enchantment through his music.

This is the second time we choose to see him in South Florida and something tells me that we shall continue to go to his concerts for as we watch him we fall under the spell of a man, who seems to love what he does so much, that as we watch we are filled with joy, as he conducts and plays some of the best music ever written.

So, we bought The Homecoming and watch it regularly, all I have to do is close my eyes and I see him on stage, his broad smile worn as a badge of courage to live life to its fullest, the twinkle in his eye making us wonder what to do to make sure we live our lives in such a way that we too learn to share the best of ourselves with humanity.

This DVD will provide you with some of his most delightful performances, amongst which are my favorites: Carmen... Funiculi, Funicula... and I Could Have Danced All Night!

This is an open air concert, delivered Maastricht, which is Andre Rieu's home town. As with most of his concerts, the atmosphere is filled with joy and beautiful music. We get to witness his electrifying performance encouraging the townspeople to dance and sing.

Sincerely recommend obtaining this classic and take the time to thank my good fortune to be alive during the times when Andre Rieu is with us, for I have enjoyed his music tremendously. As a child I read the story and own the books and the DVDs that capture the lives of the Emperor of Austria, Franz Josef as he meets, falls in love with, and then marries the Austrian princess Sissi.

This couple lived during the times of Johan Strauss, and Sissi inspires many of the wonderful waltzes played by Andre Rieu. So, to see him live and realize that he even brought someone out to sing as if she was Sissi, dressed in the fashion that made her beauty so famous, with flower adorned hair... was... a dream come true!

Therefore, our group has decided to follow Andre Reiu's recommendations and we are planning to travel to Vienna 2008... to enjoy his music, right by the famous castle where Sissi and Franz Josef lived the most romantic of all lives... transformed and shared with the world as a story, book, and movie!!! Austria... thanks to Andre Rieu... we shall visit in 2008!

I saw a portion of this video quite by accident and decided that I would buy it. It was superb absolutely mesmerising. Andre Rieu's showmanship, creativity, sense of humor and talent is captivating. This performance is one of the happiest performances I have ever seen. The young gentleman who rings the church bell and plays the chimes was delightfully funny and a great addition to the show. I hate to admit I can never remember what his profession and skill is called. The costumes of the orchestra, the wonderful blue lights of the square, the happy smiles, and dancing audience also lend a wonderful and an almost heavenly air to the staging of this concert. Wonderful just wonderful!

Trust me, Dolby or not it is a very satisfying buy. Pop the wine or champaign and relax with this one!

This was just wonderful! I especially liked the extras. It was so informative. Much better than on PBS. It is well worth watching. Very entertaining. A must see!

The best Andre Rieu DVD ever but the sound quality is misleading, it is not Dolby 5.1 (6 channel) - the DVD features Dolby 5.0 (5 channel) sound. That means if you have a Dolby Digital Home Theater System there is no bass at all. I don't know why they would master such a DVD with no bass???