Featured Fans - Bill Cole
 Andre In Arizona


December 19, 2005
Before, During & After - Andre's Christmas Tour
 


Nadia Diakoff, Agnes Walter, Bill Cole  & Suzan Erens

 

I walked out of my apt & headed for the Dodge Theatre around 1730, eagerly anticipating the concert which I'd been waiting for, for over a year.  Finally the night was at hand; with long purposeful strides, I walked quickly, my camera hanging over my shoulder & fully loaded with film. 
 
I knew the stage entrance for the orchestra was on the NE corner of the Dodge Theatre; as I approached the stage entrance corner @ 1800 I saw buses parked & immediately knew I was too late to catch the entire orchestra as they arrived.  The buses were unmarked, not the Andre Rieu buses that I'd expected to see. 
 
Nevertheless, 4 people were at the entrance: 2 sitting on the sidewalk with their backs up against the building & 2 standing, talking to each other. 
 
I walked past the 2 standing, they were talking & smoking; when I turned & looked I recognized both; 

  • Suzan Erens, the Soprano engaged to Andre's son Pierre
    and

  • Arthur Cordewener, the Oboist

I looked straight into Suzan's big blue eyes, she was looking straight into mine; "Suzan?", I asked with incredulous disbelief.  "Yes, have we met before at other concerts?", she replied with a very warm, friendly smile & quizzical expression.
 
"No, this is my first concert, but I've enjoyed your performances, repeatedly on all the DVDs"; & she gave me another big, warm, friendly smile of appreciation.
 
We continued to speak for several minutes & all during this time she & Arthur continued to smoke their cigarettes; at which point I asked, "Suzan, how could you, a soprano, possibly be smoking, I thought smoking was a no-no for vocalists?" 
 
Suzan, giggled, smiled sheepishly, & replied, "I think all of us smoke".
 
About this time I turned to the 2 people sitting on the sidewalk & asked if one of them would mind taking a photo of me, Suzan & Arthur.
 
At this point, Suzan introduced me to the other 2 as members of the orchestra,
  • Agnes Walter, 2nd Violinist 
    and
  • Nadejda (Nadia) Diakoff, Viola
I didn't recognize either & said so because they weren't on any of the DVDs.  Both told me they were new members of the orchestra, in their first contractual year.  I thought Nadia was Russian; she quickly corrected me as being Bulgarian.
 
All 4 spoke English without any trace of an accent.
 
About this time, Arthur, came to my rescue & offered to take a photo of me with Nadia, Agnes  & Suzan.  I'm standing between Suzan & Agnes our arms entwined about each others waist.  Arthur took 2 photos for me. 

We continued to talk for several minutes; in my excitement I completely forgot about asking one of the ladies to take a photo of me with Arthur.
 
I graciously thanked them for their time, smiles, conversation & photos & departed, not wanting to take up all their limited amount of free time.
 
There weren't any other fans at the stage entrance all during this time so I left feeling very privileged.  The best was yet to come!
 
It was shortly before 1900, I knew the doors to the Dodge theatre would open at 1900, so I headed for the ticket holders entrance on the SE corner of the building.  Fans were lined up along the entire east side of the theatre, & half way along the North side when I got at the end of the line which continued to grow exponentially.  As people began entering the theatre, we slowly progressed toward the entrance. 
 
I struck up conversations with people in line;  the one common denominator was that no one had previously been to an Andre concert, we were all first time concert goers that had seen Andre on TV
 
It is 1930 as I look around & find my seat, discard my jacket, & head for the stage to scout around trying to decide where to situate myself during the concert so I can take good photos. 
 
The stage is beautifully decorated with a Christmas theme & I notice the orchestra seats are very thinly padded.
 
Right in front of the stage are a half dozen rows of temporary chairs that have been places there just for this concert They are thickly padded.   I'm amused because in all the DVDs the temporary chair up front are metal chairs, with no padding!
 
The time is 2000, the concert is supposed to begin at 2000, yet the stage is empty & I've not heard any of the usual sounds of instruments tuning up.  Everyone, myself included, is looking around wondering where the orchestra is & when things will begin.  The theatre is filled to its 5500 seat capacity.
 
The lights grow dim, the crowd becomes so quiet you could hear a pin drop; suddenly the entire theatre becomes as bright as the middle of the day & the music of Enter the Gladiators begins just like on the Flying Dutchman DVD. 
 
Everyone in the audience stands & begins to clap, the orchestra begins to file down 2 isles on both sides of the center section, coming from the back of the theatre down toward the front stage. 


 

Unlike the Flying Dutchman, where the entrance was outside, flat & level & the orchestra members confidently walk straight & look around; the members had to look down at their feet because the isles were stepped.  It was awkward because 1 step was down & the 1 step was forward;  every step down  was on the same foot/leg. 
 
The Orchestra  all managed their precarious entrance which I'm sure they will all remember as part of their Phoenix concert
 
Everyone in the audience was thoroughly enchanted with the music; everyone was tapping their foot, clapping, humming, or moving about in their chair.
 
In-between each piece of music I mentioned to those around several things no one knew:
 
  • My favorite orchestra member is Karin Hinze, a Cellist who is sporting a new hairdo & wearing the same green gown & who I'm hoping to interview & photograph up close after the concert 
  • Suzan, the soprano is engaged to marry Andre's Production Manger & son, Pierre
  • The only 2 orchestra members that are married to each other is  Lin Jong, a violinist  and Ruud Merx, a Trombone player
After taking some photos during the concert from my seat I decided to be adventurous, got up out of my seat, headed toward the front center stage to take some up close & personal photos.  I was the only one to do so, at this time, was busy taking pictures to my hearts content, when I look up to see Andre looking me right in the eye.  I acknowledged the recognition with a wink & a wave, took his photo, got up off my knee, took a couple more photos & headed back to my seat.
 
When I got back to my seat everyone around told me, I'd been on the big TV monitors, much to my complete surprise & embarrassment.  At the time I was taking photos I had no idea everyone in the audience was watching me!
 
One of the music pieces was Winter Wonderland;  during which snow fell on some in the center section up near the front.  One white haired lady teenager began throwing snow on those around her, all of which was captured on those big ignominious TV monitors; everyone in the audience saw her temporary return to that of a carefree teenager.
 
Customarily, the brightly colored balloon fell during the playing of  Radetzky's March
 
It's difficult to really know when the concert ended & when the encores began.  Each time it seemed like the concert ended, the boisterous crowed shouted for more, more and each time Andre & his JSO played yet another piece of music.
 
The entire crowd was on it's collective  feet, clapping, shouting, waving, imploring more, more; by now the entire front isles were filled with people & cameras
 
At one point I was off to the right side, when I look up, Marcel Falize, the percussionist was looking me straight in the eye;  I took his photo & he acknowledged me with a wink & a smile.
 
Finally, when the lights dimmed & the orchestra began playing Lullaby & Goodnight, we all knew it was the end.  The orchestra filled out 2 stage exits as pandemonium erupted from an appreciative audience.
 
The lights came back on & we all began to fill out; hoards of people came up to me & told me I was famous, that they'd seen me on TV & were envious; much to my complete enjoyment!
 
Throngs of people surrounded the concession stand that was quickly selling out of every CD, DVD & tape they had.
 
We were all a given flyer letting us all know Andre & his JSO would return to Phoenix on 8 December 2006 at the America West Arena

As I milled about, still inside the Dodge Theatre, still inside  my own little world;, people kept coming up & saying something nice to me.
 
With my trusty camera still at my side & the roll of film completely exposed, I left the theatre & headed back toward the stage entrance.
 
Still hoping I might manage an interview & some photos with Karin, I waited patiently at the stage entrance/exit waiting expectantly for the JSO to enter the buses.
 
Wouldn't you just know Suzan & Linda Custers, a viola player emerged smoking their cigarettes.
 
Linda is a real tall blond, that I recognized & teased about her blouse being too short & continually exposing her waist during the Clog Dance Girls part on the Gala DVD
 
Suzan acknowledge me by my name Bill this time & told me she had also seen me on TV & had noticed me when she was on stage performing
 
Frank Steijns, a violinist, emerged.  I recognized him immediately & called out to him by name.  When he looked at me I told him he  really looked good;  he was a butter ball when Tuscany was filmed, &  now he'd lost a lot of weight.  Frank thanked me for noticing, in perfect English. 
 
And finally, as I was waiting around with only a security guard, out popped one more JSO member that I recognized & called out to by name, Franco Vulcano, the Double Bass player.   I asked him about that strange, big, string instrument he played as a minstrel in one of the DVDs.  He smiled & began telling me about it in perfect English.  Then, of all things he told me there was Meet & Greet inside that he had to return to.  He extended his hand, & we shook hands warmly & firmly.  And I'm here to tell you his grip was really strong!
 
Franco went back inside.  The security guard came over to me and asked if I was waiting for someone.  I told him I was still hoping to get an interview & some photos of Karin Hinze & Carla Maffioletti, the soprano.  In a few minutes he came back over & told me it wasn't his call, but that I was politely being asked to leave.
 
I thanked him & departed, in a straight line so he could see I was leaving, a happy camper & leaving the entire premises.
 
I really don't remember the rest of the walk home, I was still wrapped up in my own thoughts & memories of the entire evening, memories I will cherish, fondly, for a very long time.
 
I can't wait to see the photos, all of which will eventually appear on this website.
 
 
Thanks to everyone that made this evening possible, & thanks to Channel 8 for arranging to have Andre appear on stage here in Phoenix

Bill Cole

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