André Rieu: Welcome To My World Brand new series only on Sky Arts
Starts Saturday 26 October 8pm on Sky Arts 2 HD
(10x60mins)
06/09/13: Sky Arts today announces that world renowned violinist André Rieu will star in a new
10-part series, André Rieu: Welcome To My World. The biggest classical music talent in the world has invited Sky Arts’ cameras to capture never seen before aspects of his life through a combination of behind-the–scenes documentary and special heart-warming interviews. This unique series will follow the Classical Brit Award-winning artist and his very special guests as they prepare to perform in dazzling concerts around the world. André Rieu: Welcome To My World will start on Saturday 26 October 8pm on Sky Arts 2 HD.
From Australia to Argentina via Mexico and Maastricht, Sky Arts viewers will join Andréand the members of the famous Johann Strauss Orchestra in a spectacular journey celebrating music, waltzes and his spellbinding showmanship. Each episode will document an exhilarating part of the maestro’s life, as well as showcasing new concert performances. Special guests will join Andréalong the way; including singers Jermaine Jackson, who sings a moving tribute to his brother Michael, and Trini Lopez who explains why performing with Andréis so special and exciting.
Whether documenting André on the road during his whirlwind sell-out tours in Mexico City and Buenos Aires, poignantly marking Armed Forces Day with thousands of veterans and Dame Vera Lynn, or celebrating the inauguration of the new king and queen of Holland, this 10-part original series promises to capture the enchanting world of the André Rieu.
André Rieu: Welcome To My World will gain exclusive access to the team who work with the violinist and those who help make his concerts so memorable. The episodes will contain unique interviews with his sons Marc and Pierre Rieu and long-standing members of the Johann Strauss Orchestra, as well as his trusted concert soloists Carla Maffioletti, Carmen Monarcha and Mirusia Louwerse.
André Rieu has sold more than 35 million albums globally and has been awarded more than 330 platinum and 100 gold awards for his phenomenal success. The violinist burst onto the UK scene in 2010, selling more than 400,000 copies of his first UK release, and is now one of the best-selling live acts in the world. More than 700, 000 fans attend his concerts and stadium tours every year.
“I'm extremely proud about starting my own tv series on Sky. I've been performing for many years now with my orchestra and I'm very happy that Sky is offering me the opportunity to show you all the beautiful things we’ve done,” comments André Rieu. “In this series I'll show you lots of wonderful music and beautiful places where we played. I'll speak about my family and private life; about meeting and working with some famous guest stars. I hope you'll enjoy it. Welcome to my world!”
“André Rieu is one of the biggest performers of our time – he regularly outsells Beyoncé and Justin Bieber – And there’s no question he’s just the best at what he does,” comments James Hunt, Director of Sky Arts. “We’re thrilled that Sky Arts is the only place in the UK that Andre fans can see his amazing performances, but we’re even more excited about this new series – we know how many of our customers adore him.”
Sky promises to deliver high-quality, exclusive content to customers, supported by a commitment to increase investment in programming to £600 million by 2014, an increase of more than 50% over three years.
For more information or to request interviews or images please contact:
Dominic Collett dominic.collett@bskyb.com 0207032 4892
NOTES TO EDITOR
Notes to Editors
About Sky Arts
Sky Arts offers an eclectic mix of the best music, arts, biographies, chat shows, film, drama and comedy. Sky is the only broadcaster in the UK and Ireland with channels dedicated solely to the arts, with 48 hours of the best arts content from around the world across Sky Arts 1 and Sky Arts 2 daily. Sky Arts now reaches more than 6 million viewers every month.
Recent highlights include Playhouse Presents… a series of one-off comedies and dramas starring renowned talent including Jon Hamm, Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Thompson, Sir Tom Jones, Brenda Blethyn, David Tennant and Alison Steadman. The channel was also responsible for resurrecting the much-loved South Bank Show and The South Bank Show Awards. Sky Arts also encourages new formats and methods for accessing the arts, working with the ENO and National Gallery to beam the world’s first live opera and first live opening night of an exhibition in 3D to cinemas across the UK and Ireland.
Sky Arts also seeks to connect with culture on the ground; creating and collaborating with the best of the arts in the UK and Ireland to bring new experiences to life. Sky Arts has collaborated with a number of arts organisations including the English National Ballet and has supported the Hay Festival as broadcast partner since 2006. The Sky Arts Ignition Series launched in in 2011 to invest in the arts landscape of the UK. The Series will seek to collaborate with six arts organisations over the next three years in the creation of brand new works; Sky Arts Ignition Series: Futures Fund will support five young artists with a bursary of £30,000 each, enabling Sky Arts to back the creation of new works of art as well as nurture emerging talent.
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