CLASSICAL music superstar André Rieu has revealed how Sir Anthony Hopkins always regretted sinking his teeth into the role of Hannibal Lecter after Brian Cox.
Succession actor Brian was the first to play the serial killer in the 1986 film Manhunter before Hopkins made the part his own five years later in Silence of the Lambs.
But while the Welsh superstar won his first Best Actor Oscar for role as the menacing Hannibal the Cannibal, pal André reveals Hopkins wished he’d given it a miss.
André, who got to know Hopkins after performing the actor’s classical work And The Waltz Goes On, says: “Of course his big breakthrough was as Silence of the Lambs.
“But Anthony said to me personally, ‘Why did I accept that movie?’ Because now everyone just thinks of him as Hannibal Lecter.”
The unlikely pair struck up their friendship when the Welsh superstar cold called the Dutch Composer at his office in New York.
André says: “I remember the day very well. I was told, ‘There’s a Mr Hopkins on the phone, do you want to speak with him?’ I said, ‘Yes, of course, and I immediately recognised his voice.
“He told me that he composed a waltz 50 years ago while he was still in Wales and had wanted to be a musician.
“But then he met Richard Burton, who is also from Wales, and he said to him, ‘A musician? Don’t do that, you will not earn money from being a musician. You have to be an actor, come with me to LA.’
“So that’s what he did. But, he still had his waltz in his head. And then his wife Stella saw me on television in America and she said to Anthony, ‘That’s the man who’s going to play your waltz.’ So that’s how it happened.”
The world-famous conductor and violinist was raised one of six in Holland by his father who was a conductor of the Maastricht Symphony Orchestra.
He began studying the violin at the age of five and learned to speak six languages including English, German, French, Italian and Spanish.
In 1987 he founded the Johann Strauss Orchestra with just a dozen musicians. It has grown to more than 60 on stage every night.
In that time he has sold more than 40million albums and is regularly listed in Billboard’s Top 25 world tours, raking in over £40million from his live shows a year.
But André is on a lifelong mission to rid classical music of its elitist image with his shows, including his Christmas Cinema Event Success where his annual Maastricht concerts are broadcast live to cinemas around the world.
He explains: “My audiences love to sing along, dance in the aisles and kiss their partners.
“Everyone is welcome to come to my concerts, no matter what education or age.
“I also try to combine classical music with a lot of humour and interaction with the audience. Classical music can be fun – believe me.”
But when André performs at Glasgow’s Hydro on April 5 next year (2025), he will bring with him teen singing sensation Emma Kok who in 2023 won the Dutch TV talent show The Voice Kids.
Dad-of-two André, who lives in his hometown Maastricht with wife Marjorie of 48 years, says: “Emma is coming to Scotland with me for the first time.
“The first time I heard her was very simple, we were touring in America and my son Pierre threw his telephone on my make-up table and said, ‘Listen to this.’
“I listened to her singing her winning song on The Voice Kids in Holland. I was flabbergasted and said, ‘Please get her into my studio as soon as possible – I want to hear her live.’
“And then when I did I was even more impressed and I asked Emma, ‘Do you want to work with me?’ And she and her family said yes.”
It has been a masterstroke from the maestro with the 16-year-old’s powerful performances regularly reducing the audience to tears.
André says: “I tell you, everywhere where she sings with us, people are crying.
“And it is because of her voice, her magnificent voice, her performing, her whole being.
“She is a talent, she is a magnificent talent and I’m so glad that I can be her musical father, not her real father but her musical father.
“And Emma accepts everything I tell her and it’s really great to work with someone so hungry to learn.”
He adds: “But we click on stage because we both perform with our hearts. When I play I give everything I have. I cannot simulate.”
But although new talent like Emma bring “fresh energy” to his orchestra, the 75-year-old maintains he still has the stamina to match the youngsters.
He explains: “I’m now the oldest in the orchestra as we have brought in a lot of fresh blood in recent years.
“But I can tell you we have just come from South America where I was the most energetic of all. I am surrounded by all these young people who are moaning, ‘I have a cold, I’m tired’ and I’m like ‘come on, move it’.”
Although André drives his troops hard he also rewards them with lavish parties.
He says: “I have 125 people on my payroll and some freelance people too who have been working with me for years.
“So for my 75th birthday we went to the Fairytale Forest in Holland for all the staff, freelancers, their family and children – there were 500 people there and we all had a fantastic weekend.”
But despite being well into his 70s, André has no intentions of hanging his baton anytime soon.
He jokes: “I’m 75 now and have been travelling the world for over 35 years. But I’m going to live until I’m over 100 so I am a little bit more than halfway now.”
However long André lives he will stick to his vow never to watch his pal Sir Anthony, 86, star as Hannibal the Cannibal.
He adds: “I think I would be scared of Anthony if I saw those movies. So I have told him that I will never watch them. I think it is better this way for our friendship.”
*André Rieu and his Johann Strauss Orchestra play Glasgow’s OVO Hydro on April 5. While His 75th Birthday celebration The Dream Continues is in cinemas for one weekend only April 12 &13. Tickets at andreincinemas.com
