Abstract

Since 2007, André Rieu CDs, DVDs, television shows and concerts have saturated Australian media. Consequently, Rieu’s popularity—the extent of which is remarkable for a classical musician—has drawn significant attention from commentators, critics and musicians, much of which is negative in tone. This article describes the criticisms made of Rieu in the Australian media, and explores the socio-cultural motivations for these reactions. It explores Rieu’s position as a liminal classical and ‘popular’ musician, and proposes that Rieu can be viewed as a symptom of a diminishing cultural hierarchy. It furthermore associates criticism of the Rieu ‘phenomenon’ with anxieties about Arts status and funding in Australia, and proposes that disapproval of Rieu is used as a proxy for more general condemnations of Australian tastes.

Full Text
Paper version not known

Talk to us

Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have

Schedule a call

Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.