Sharing a November 3, 2026 interviewing article from Ouder EN Wijzer (Older AND Wiser), a Dutch magazine from ANBO-PCOB (the largest independent Dutch association for seniors), André Rieu: “I'm not going to mess around. When I do something, it has to be done right.” By Rianne van der Molen, photo by Janita Sassen, translated by Diana D. Le André Rieu (77) has no intention of slowing down. He’s still working with great energy and is always on the go. Speaking of his wife—whom he met when he was just 13—he says, “Marjorie is my everything. She was the first person to believe in me.” Walking into André Rieu’s home feels a bit like attending an audience with the king. His castle in Maastricht is impressive from the outside, but when you step inside, it’s almost as if you’ve stepped back into the 18th century. Baroque chairs, heavy curtains, and oil portraits of André and Marjorie on the walls. A tablecloth covers the enormous table, woven with—how could it be otherwise—a violin. A Dream Comes True It’s not easy to set aside enough time for a conversation with André. It took some effort to find a slot in his packed schedule. He may be 77, but he has no plans to wind down his working life. André Rieu: “That’s mainly because I’m living my dream—I’ve always wanted my own orchestra. In the 1970s, with that system of subsidized orchestras, there was often a lot of fuss about money and free time in the orchestras where I played. It had little to do with the music. My wife Marjorie was working as a high school teacher at the time, and at one point she said, 'I see you coming home from that orchestra every day, looking more and more unhappy. I know what you want, so go ahead and follow your dream—I’ll earn the money.' And that's exactly what she did. That allowed me to start my own salon orchestra, which later grew into the Johann Strauss Orchestra.” The challenge remains Making music is precision work. On stage, André hears and sees everything, and he’s happy to leave the excitement to the audience. “Sometimes I’m satisfied and sometimes I’m not, but it’s not magic. Performing is hard work and making sure it’s spot-on.” That challenge remains, even after all these years and performances all over the world. “Giving the audience a wonderful evening—that’s what it’s all about. Every day I get emails and letters from people who write that my music has changed their lives. Recently, a woman approached me in a parking lot. ‘I wrote to you that you are Jesus!’ I thank people like that politely, but I really don’t think I’m ‘Jesus.’ I’m pretty down-to-earth. Although, of course, I do like it when people are moved by my music.” A Huge Tower of Cream Puffs He does everything in his life with total dedication. Even in his free time. That’s how it started during the COVID-19 pandemic—with baking. No, not just a simple cake or apple pie. After a concert—when the adrenaline keeps him awake for a while—he’s always enjoyed watching baking videos. The lockdowns gave him time to actually try out the recipes. “Cooking is about imagination, but baking has to be precise down to the gram—and that’s exactly what I love about it.” For his 70th birthday, he made a croquembouche—a tower of cream puffs—over a meter tall for the orchestra. “I think it took me five hours to make, and it was all gone within half an hour.” There’s cake at four o’clock You see the same perfectionism in his vegetable garden. Ten years ago, André met a woman who had presumably developed Parkinson’s from spraying insecticide. “I was so shocked by that story that I told my gardening buddies, ‘Starting today, we’re going to grow our own vegetables.’ That way, I can be sure there’s no junk on my vegetables.” Health is an important issue for him. He eats healthily, doesn’t drink alcohol, and does strength training. He does allow himself some sugar, though in moderation. “I find it way too delicious. When I’m at home, Marjorie and I have a small piece of cake with a cup of coffee every afternoon at four o’clock. It’s a special moment we share together.” First, Both Went to Therapy André speaks very fondly of Marjorie, the woman he has now been with for more than half a century. He found in her the warmth he so sorely missed from his strict and unloving parents. “Marjorie is my everything. She was the first person to believe in me.” He says that the fact that they also work together is one of the most wonderful things about their relationship. “She pays the bills and also likes to contribute ideas. For example, we wanted to give the skaters who appear in my shows, gold dresses. One of the dancers came by to show us a sample. I really appreciate it when Marjorie helps make the decisions.” He never had any doubts about starting a family with Majorie. “It helped that we both made a conscious decision to go to therapy at a young age—before we started having children. That way, we were able to leave the baggage from our own childhoods behind. As a father, I wanted to do things differently than my own parents did. For example, I didn’t want to force my sons to play the violin or practice endlessly, the way I had to at home. Marc and Pierre did start taking violin lessons early on, though. Until the youngest, at age four, smashed his violin over his brother's head out of frustration. So that was over pretty quickly, ha ha.” Human beings are insignificant André stays in close contact with Marc, who is a Dutch language teacher, and Pierre, who is vice president and producer at André Rieu Productions, as well as with his five grandchildren. “I enjoy talking with them. Sometimes we talk about what we’re up to, and sometimes we talk about why we’re here on Earth.” He doesn’t have the answer to that question, but a quote from Einstein resonates with him. “Einstein said, ‘Actually, everything is here and now.’ According to him, the fact that we experience time as something that ticks away is an illusion. I find that a very profound thought. We’re bound to life here, and that makes you feel incredibly insignificant as a human being. Although at the same time, I really enjoy life. Every day, I look forward to getting up, making plans, and creating music.” He isn't afraid of getting older. “I'm always talking about the next forty years. Everyone starts laughing, but I mean it seriously.” If it were up to him, he'd just keep going. “I'm really curious to see what I'll be doing when I'm 116.” The 5 Questions for André 1. What’s your favorite cake to bake? “That would have to be the croquembouche, a pyramid of filled cream puffs held together with caramel. It’s incredibly complicated to make, and I do enjoy a challenge.” 2. How do you find the right professionals to maintain your castle? “Just as with my orchestra and my company, I’ve been working with the same people for a long time when it comes to maintenance. Sometimes we ask the staff for recommendations.” 3. When would you like to retire? “Never. No, I’ll never retire. Why would I? I have a wonderful life.” 4. What kind of music brings you comfort? “That’s a tough one, because I don’t need comfort. And music isn’t something I could draw comfort from, either. Music is my profession; I listen to it differently than most people do.” 5. Do you think people become wiser as they get older? “I think so. Still, I'm not the kind of grandpa who gives his grandchildren wise advice. I am, however, open about my life—so they can see that it's not just about following a dream, but above all, about working really hard.” Biography 1949 André Léon Marie Nicolas Rieu is born in Maastricht. 1968–1977 Studies at the conservatories of Liège, Maastricht, and Brussels. 1975 Marries Majorie. 1978 Founded the Maastricht Salon Orchestra (5 musicians); son Marc was born. 1981 Son Pierre was born. 1987 Founded the Johann Strauss Orchestra (12 musicians), which specializes in waltzes. 1988 Performed fifteen New Year’s concerts in the Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg, and Germany. 1994 The second waltz from Shostakovich’s Suite for Variety Orchestra spends a year in the Top 10, and Rieu begins touring the world with his orchestra. 2002 He is appointed Knight in the Order of the Netherlands Lion. 2005 From this point on, André performs annually in July at the Vrijthof in Maastricht. 2019 From this point on, André performs annually in Dec. Christmas concerts in the MECC in Maastricht. 2026 André Rieu continues to perform worldwide and has sold more than 40 million CDs and DVDs. 2026 Still touring with the Johann Strauss orchestra, currently consisting of 70 persons.

Click below to watch video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AflJ6Oi_eVI&list=PLo7z- TrXCql3IrgQMOuMUC7WM8qeWb0Eo&index=18 Duration: 01:47 Language: Dutch