Christmas Around The World[DVD]

This DVD has plenty of reviews. Andre Rieu is akin to Lawrence Welk--his concerts are real shows, his musicians are encouraged to show personality and great attention is given to costuming and to staging. As with Welk, he has legions of fans who will be loyal forever. This concert should also meet most of their expectations.What has often gone unsaid is that Rieu's commentary here is in German. There are English subtitles but they take something away from the visual experience. The 'Little Angels of Nagasaki' children's choir, of course, sings in Japanese. Historically, Nagasaki was an early stronghold of Christian faith and conversion in Japan so having them as guests on this concert bill is significant. Also, Rieu is reminding us, in the early part of the show, that a good deal of the 'magic' of Christmas is for children and that the Christmas story is family-based. Thus, we include 'Ave Maria', which is not traditional Christmas music.I agree with leading reviewer, 'Gorki', that not everybody will find the children's chorus offerings to be strong musically, even though the children are sweet and sincere (except for the ones who are so young as to sometime appear to be a bit confused by everything.) This part of the production has especially 'stagey' tones, where the children have to make room for a beautiful blonde soloist with a warm voice, so that she can sing 'tenderly' to them a lullaby ('Slumber My Darling') they clearly do not understand. Andre adds to this with his own brand of ham-fisted cuteness in a later number, which nonetheless features some very fine-toned violin work.Keeping in mind that this is a holiday concert, the music selection is more pops-oriented than usual, with 'White Christmas,' 'Jingle Bells', 'Sleigh Ride' and a Dixieland oriented 'Rudolf the Red-nosed Reindeer' among the non-liturgical, non-symphonic orchestral compositions/arrangements. In short, the program has been constructed to be balanced and to please the audience in different visual and musical ways. One hilarious (unintended) visual is when a 'snow machine' starts dumping 'flakes too heavily over the front rows of the audience.I like Andre Rieu's pops approach to traditionally symphonic numbers, so this less-classical selection had less appeal for me. It did make for reasonable Christmas Eve viewing. Certainly the concert hall audience loved it!

Just got done watching this DVD again and I'm still kind of numb from the beautiful music and voices of this Christmas show. I bought the DVD last year on Amazon but neglected to leave a review. Yet this time I'm getting right to it. Such beauty and harmony of presenting the Christmas spirit should be on every music lovers list. I guess that every Andre Rieu fan already knows that he is a fabulous showman and knows how to keep his audience entertained. But just hearing him play his strad always blows me away! He is a very gifted violinist but never takes the center stage for himself. Watching his shows (and I own most of them) always gives the impression that he is just "One of the Crowd". It's no different with "Christmas Around the World". He gives a bow to all the beautiful sopranos and his orchestra after every number. This DVD presents a lot of the classic Christmas songs plus some more upbeat ones like "Rudolph" with a great sense of humor.Just want to add that the "Nakasagi Angels" were a delight to watch and listen to. I enjoy the Christmas Spirit of all nations and this DVD is certainly a tribute to it. Buy it this season, you won't be sorry!

On time delivery and the program ok. Have seen better shows.

Don't like Classical music? Then, listen to André Rieu.André Rieu is not only for people who love Classical music. André Rieu and his Johann Strauss Orchestra play forever-popular music in much more touching your heart and aesthetically pleasing way.....you cherish the experience forever. There is no other musician like André Rieu.André Rieu incorporates and brings up the best of Children’s Choir from Nagasaki (one of 2 cities bombed by the atomic bomb). There is no other better way to express his mission that the music will unite people and brings the world peace…

There is no story line to follow, the music is beautiful, as are the dresses and the set, plus the interjection of comedy is a plus. The memory unit where my mom lives LOVES his DVDs. Seriously, they could get rid of the activities director. The seats are full when I put in these DVDs. It's magic. For them AND me!!!

Very nice Christmas music.

These artists truly love and enjoy what they are doing. I have never seen artists in a symphony smile and enjoy what they do. Then the quality of the music, the tonal quality of the orchestra, choir, and soloists excelled with the lifegiving arrangements of the music. On top of it all, Andre's way with people: both his artists and the audience. He is the finest and they are the finest! One of the greatest reasons to be alive today is to hear and see any performance of Andre Rieu!

As a Dutch native, I am extremely impressed with Andre Rieu's (he is a Dutchman) God given talent to make his audience happy with his, and his orchestra's, brilliant performances. I just wish he would spend more time in the U.S, particularly in Texas!I love the way he interacts with his orchestra members, and the audience. So far I own 5 of his DVD's, and I fully intend to purchase more. What a personality! If ever he has a performance anywhere in Texas, I will be there!

Having received this yesterday, I put it on just to check it played properly and ended up watching it all the way through. Andre Rieu and the JSO, with his ability to "pick a good tune" and their cheerful playing, are eminently suitable for this type of concert; a mixture of carols, other religious music and the more light-hearted Christmas offerings. It is from 2004, by which time he was using a chorus, and Suzan Erens, Carmen Monarcha and Carla Maffioletti had become established as soloists (no Platin Tenors yet). These three tend to sing the more serious songs(very well), both solo and in combination. He also uses Manoe, Stephanie and Lin from the orchestra for Rudolph and Winter Wonderland. The "Little Angels of Nagasaki" ( believe me they are angels) take up most of the first half-hour. Andre and Suzan are totally at ease with them and her "Slumber my Darling" is a gem. The lively JSO gets some good tunes to play. Most of the music will be familiar to you but there is some that will not and it is played with such enthusiasm. The concert was from Trier and the German audience was very appreciative. There are English subtitles but no extras. There are no cut-away videos and not very many "audience reaction" shots, (2 aspects which annoy some viewers). Nearly all the camera work is on the performers. Overall, it is a highly enjoyable 90 minutes. I only have a couple of quibbles: firstly, the "Hallelujah" chorus, hard as they tried, needed male singers with it. Secondly, I am sure there must have been encores but none were shown. I am not usually a fan of Christmas "specials" but this is easily the best I have ever seen and hope he does another one. As an import, it's expensive, but go on, treat yourself.

Schöne DVD macht Lust auf Weihnachten

J'adore

Gift to 92 year old - that loves it!

L'orchestra di André Rieu è composta da elementi fantastici per abilità , simpatia e versatilità. Il grande maestro offre un repertorio che spazia dal classico, all'operetta, al melodramma e anche a brani del folclore locale. Ogni brano è uno spettacolo da godere perché coinvolge il pubblico e scalda i cuori. Molto validi i cantanti, i cori e toccanti i brani che Rieu esegue con il suo violino. Lo consiglio vivamente.