Customer Reviews

Andre Rieu - Live in Dublin

5 star:		(38)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Andre Rieu puts his treasured 1665 Stradivarius to good use in the marvelous concert from Dublin, which is full of great music and a lot of humor. The audience is obviously enjoying the evening, and if you like waltzes and lovely melodies, you will too.
Guest artist is the wonderful Irish violinist John Sheahan, who does his beautiful "Marino Waltz", and John and Andre have a grand time with "The Irish Washerwoman".
Approximate running time is 1 hour and 15 minutes.

Song list:

"Dark Eyes", the Russian traditional favorite
"Thunder and Lightening", by J. Strauss
"The Merry Widow", from Lehar's operetta.
"Song of the Volga", also composed by Lehar
"Hor Ich Zimbalklange", a terrific Lehar gypsy song.
"España Cañi", the rousing and familiar pasodoble
"O Mio Bambino Caro", the exquisite Puccini aria (with Carmen Monarcha)
"The Blue Danube", J. Strauss' most famous waltz
"Song of Olympia", from Offenbach's "The Tales of Hoffman" (with Carla Maffioletti)
"My Heart Will Go On", from James Horner's "Titanic" score
"All Men Shall Be Brothers", taken from Beethoven's 9th Symphony
"Radetzski March" by J.Strauss
"Opera Potpourri" which includes pieces from Verdi's "La Traviata" and Bizet's "Carmen".
"The Red Rose Café"
"Marino Waltz", a well known piece by guest violinist John Sheahan
"Irish Washerwoman", a fabulous duet with John and Andre
"The Last Rose"
"The Chianti Song"
"Lullaby", by Brahms, makes a sweet finale.

The traditional view of a symphony performance is one of a stuffy conductor and a stone-quite audience. Well, Andre Rieu will have none of that!

Andre conducts and plays violin (both superbly). Throughout the performance he will make jokes and interact with the audience. During The Blue Danube, he encourages the audience to get up and waltz. The orchestra is the Johann Strauss Orchestra and you will immediately notice the beautiful waltz gowns on the ladies.

Wonderful music and some amazing vocals round out an amazing program.

I first saw part of this on PBS with my daughter and father (4 and 82 respectively). They both loved it. I immediately ordered this DVD and watched it with my daughter. Sever tracks into the DVD my wife forbid me from watching when anyone was trying to sleep. She heard my laughter from the other side of the house. This was because of something done during a Spanish bullfighting number (you'll know the piece).

Suffice it to say, if more symphonies performed like this then classical music would be far more popular among young people. Watch this one. Now.

Another fabulous musical event by Andre, his singers and orchestra. This concert was performed before a live audience in Dublin in (I believe) 2003. Some of the music has a definite "Irish" flavor to it, as one would expect from its locale.

There were many highlights to this DVD but my favorites would have to be Carmen Monarcha's exquisitely sung "O mio babbino caro" from Puccini's 'Gianni Schichhi' and also Carla Maffioletti's puppetesque performance of J. Offenbach's "Song of Olympia". Some other lilting Irish melodies were beautifully done and these were really appreciated and enjoyed by the audience.

And now a personal, subjective choice. If I had to buy one, and only one, Andre Rieu DVD I would have to give my unequivocal vote for the "Tuscany" DVD. Why? you ask; let me explain...

The music is of the same high quality but the intangible difference between the two discs is in the relaxed mood, spontaneous joy and atmosphere that seem to permeate the Tuscany audience. Don't get me wrong, the people in Dublin had a great time. It's just that, to me, the same degree of 'exhilaration' did not seem to occur within the Dublin concert. I got the feeling that while Andre and the orchestra seemed enjoy themselves in Dublin, they seemed to be having a awesome time during the Tuscany performance and this seemed to shine through on the Tuscany recording. I must tell you I've watched the Tuscany DVD so many times that I almost feel like I know the people in the front two rows on a first name basis.

All in all, both DVD's are great; take your choice (or even better, get both)

This is one of the most splendid big band/orchestra performances I have ever seen. Andre Rieu and his orchestra are grade A musicians. They perform a wonderful blend of waltz, classical, opera, and contemporary music. But what makes this concert truly special is the interaction between Rieu and the audience. They dance, clap, and sing along to most of the music. You can tell the audience is just loving every moment of this concert. And, as a home viewer, I did to. This isn't just music for "old-timers." This performance will captivate younger generations as well (like myself). Every time I watch this concert, it brings a smile to my face.

I've got all of Andre Rieu's DVDs and this is one of the most enjoyable. Truly a magnificent feast for the ears and eyes.

I particularly enjoyed the scenes of the enthusiastic audience. I liked the music choices better in the Albert Hall DVD but the crowd and atmosphere of this one more than made up for the difference. I highly recommend it.

You may quibble with a few of the selections (and the red-clad "audience member" being chased up the aisle by a paper-mache bull)-- but this is the best sounding of the Andre Rieu DVD's. If you possess a well-balanced 5.1 system, the disc will turn your home into an honest-to-goodness live concert hall.
Audio wise, one of the very best of the DVD music genre.

Andre Rieu makes it all worthwhile, and in Dublin he encounters what may be his most receptive audience. There is splendour in the songs and their renditions, and like all of Rieu's outings, he shakes the dust off previous classical orchestra experiences and manages to put on a fine show.

The selections repeat themselves from other DVD's. (Actually, the copywrite is 2003, so it is really the reverse.) However, each DVD manages to do something new and worthy that makes the repetition almost inconsequential. Andre Rieu and his orchestra are masters with their predilection for waltzes. "Thunder and Lightning," "The Marino Waltz," and the perennial favorite, "The Blue Danube Waltz" are mixed throughout the evening well. However, the distinctive feature of the evening is ethnicity, for which the maestro is so accomodating. "Hor Ich Zimbalklange" has a gypsy feel; in contrast to "The Song of the Volga Boatman," which is sombre, yet sweet. The ethnic flavor is broadened with "Espana Cani," "The Song of Olympia," and "The Chianti Song," each playfully performed. However, he is the most accomodating when he taps into the Irish tradition. One of the emotional highlights is when famous local violinist, John Sheahan, joins Andre' Rieu for a violin duo on "The Marino Waltz" and "Irish Washerwoman". Then, the Irish festiveness is prolonged with "The Red Rose Cafe". In addition, "Opera Potpourri" and the 'Titanic' theme song round out a splendid evening with a particularly enthusiastic audience.

Once again, there is plenty of entertaining and playful hijinx with this performance. It is also distinctive for the large number of violin solos the maestro performs on stage, nimbly conducting the orchestra with his bow! The orchestra itself is in fine form. If we don't see them smiling as much this time around, maybe it's because they are so enraptured in their own music. Perhaps they are playing it straight this time (except for two male members who break into singing on "Chianti Song").

When searching Andre' Rieu's DVD's, perhaps it is best to purchase 'Tuscany,' subjectively his best, first; then, 'Royal Albert Hall,' his liveliest; and then 'New Year's in Vienna,' for waltz afficionados. "Live in Dublin" showcases a fine performance and a pleasant evening, but somehow the energy or song selection somehow falls short of other DVD's (Pick! Pick! Pick!) However, this DVD is magnificent, even with the petty rating and some intangible ambiences that may be missing from the preferred three favorites.

He is an exhibitionist and maybe he needs a haircut......but face it: Andre's music is just great! The graphics or clarity are stunning in this DVD and the people in the audience must have had a fabulous time at the expense of the lady in red (with the bull behind her)! The flutist/piccolo player (Irish tunes) gave a superb performance. There may be just too much Andre in each of his DVD's but you must admit it: his music is beautiful. It is a fun performance. Buy the DVD!

This is one performance that needs more than five stars to be properly rated. One hint: we played it on someone else's sound system where the base was turned up all the way, and the treble turned down. In order to get the full effect of the beautiful voices and instruments, including the haunting tin whistle, you need treble. Notice the sparkling jewelry and gorgeous low-cut dresses the women are wearing, instead of the usual somber black. It's an exhilarating concert made even more enjoyable by the response of the audience in Dublin. You'll wish you were there.

This DVD is definitely the best of all the 4 concerts I have. That is not to say that I find any critisism with the others as they are excellent too. I am looking forward to acquiring more Rieu concerts, they are great entertainment.