André Rieu tour waltzes across North America in 2009

Dutch violinist and waltz revivalist André Rieu will take his Johann Strauss Orchestra with him for an extensive, recently announced 2009 tour of North America. With his 1667 Stradivarius in hand, Rieu will perform in 35 cities across the continent, from the April 17 opening show at the Air Canada Center in Toronto, ON, through the closing performance on June 25 at Usana Amphitheatre in West Valley City, UT.

The coast-to-coast trek also includes concerts on April 23 at the historic Hammerstein Ballroom in New York, NY, on May 21 at the Allstate Arena in Chicago, IL, on May 26 at the Pepsi Center in Denver, CO, on June 14 at the Rose Garden Arena in Portland, OR, and on June 19 at the Nokia Theatre in Los Angeles, CA.

The outing also includes a total of four dates in Canada, including an April 18 concert at Scotiabank Place in Ottawa, ON, an April 19 performance at the Bell Centre in Montreal, QC, and a June 12 show at General Motors Place in Vancouver, BC.

Tickets for most dates are available through an internet presale from December 10 at 10 a.m. (EST) through December 12 at 10 p.m. (EST). Public onsales follow on December 13 for regular tickets and VIP packages. According to Rieu’s Web site, four different ticket and merchandise packages are offered, but pricing and availability will vary depending on the venue.

The North American dates follow Rieu’s current worldwide stadium tour, A Romantic Night in Vienna. The stage set has been acclaimed for its size and extravagance, as it includes a golden coach drawn by six white horses, a golden ballroom complete with chandeliers, ice skating rinks, fountains, and a full-size reproduction of a Viennese castle, according to a press statement.

Rieu is joined on tour by his Johann Strauss Orchestra, which he founded in 1987. At the time of its inception, the orchestra had only 12 members, but now more than 40 musicians join the violinist on stage at any given time.

André Rieu itinerary:
(Dates are subject to change.)