Catching up with violinist Aga Fizzano From: HashtagMaastricht. Interview and translation by Denis Kurris. July 2018. Last year HashtagMaastricht had its first interview with Aga Fizzano, one of the proud violists in the Johann Strauss Orchestra of André Rieu, and the designer of the absolutely gorgeous jewelry of Agatelier. This time around Aga was willing to sit with us again to catch up about all things that have happened since the last time we saw each other. Performance in Mexico One of the biggest events of this year was the performance André Rieu and his Johann Strauss Orchestra gave in Mexico-City. A concert that was one year in the making, since in September of 2017 an earthquake terrorized Mexico. In these instances André Rieu really fulfils the role of the pater familias of this travelling orchestra family. He had all the tour dates being rescheduled to March of 2018. Aga lets us know again that this is how the orchestra sees Rieu, he is the gentle leader who is very approachable, and never shies away from giving some solid advice to his team members. Aga tells us about her own adventures of last year. She went on holiday in the USA, together with her husband and parents-in-law; she saw, among many other American landmarks, the Grand Canyon in the sizzling state of Arizona. A trip to never forget. By the way, Aga’s husband also works in the team of André Rieu, and that is great, especially during long trips far from home. Maastricht is like playing a homecoming game for Aga Maastricht still feels like playing a homecoming game, for Rieu himself as well as the whole crew. Aga travels the world in her field of profession, but Maastricht has conquered that special place in her heart when it comes down to the concerts of André Rieu. “When the musicians of Rieu walk in the streets of Maastricht they get recognized a lot. People want to take pictures with them. The whole organization enjoys the Burgundian lifestyle of Maastricht” Aga says. “In Maastricht the musicians of the Johann Strauss Orchestra get as much attention as the man of the hour himself. The atmosphere in Maastricht is just great, one notices it by the interaction that exists between the people on-stage during a concert and the audience, in Maastricht it is just that more easy and free”. The repertoire per country is different, so that every concert gets that sense of familiarity. Not the whole setlist of the concerts changes, but just some of the numbers that are played. Rieu chooses which numbers will be in the concert, as he knows best what excites his audience. He knows the “art of entertaining” as no other does. Aga dreams of performing in China. Who knows maybe someday. It is bound to happen, the only question is when exactly. A performance in China is high on Aga’s list on a professional level. It would be great if it would happen… How is your own jewelry business, Agatelier, doing? We also asked Aga about her own jewelry business, Agatelier. Her collections seem to do really well, which is of course great to hear. Aga still enjoys designing and selling her unique self-made jewelry collections. We dared to ask where Aga gets the time to have her own life, her life as a full-time musician, and to be an entrepreneur. “During the sometimes long days of travelling I design and make my pieces. In the tour bus, on an airplane, in-between rehearsals or in a hotel room; I leave no minute unutilized.” Aga tells us. “I do like to design and to create, so it is like making your work out of a hobby, just like making music is”. The women in the Johann Strauss Orchestra all wear the pieces made by Aga, and where to promote your collections better than in the most beautiful classical orchestra of the world, right?! With her latest collection Aga wants to show that her pieces are not only meant for weddings, but that they can be worn during other festivities and occasions as well. This is also the focus of her new designs, because all pieces have more of a pop of color. Did you know that all women within the orchestra have four dresses of their own, especially made for them for the concerts of André Rieu? At the moment Aga has one dress in Maastricht, but there is also one travelling to Australia, one is on its way to South-America, and one to Canada. In short, André Rieu and his orchestra are going to be busy during the upcoming months. How well do you dance the Macarena? We asked Aga how well she dances the Macarena, because special act of the André Rieu concerts on the Vrijthof Square this year is Los del Rio. The two gentlemen from Spain had a worldwide monster hit in the ‘90’s with this song. Aga says that it became a reoccurring part of rehearsals to go through the steps of the Macarena, which was some good old fun. Rieu knows the steps, the orchestra knows the steps, and now it is time for Maastricht to dust them off, and dance them. Heeeyyy Macarena! By the way, the first night we performed in Maastricht this year, there was somebody who proposed in front of an audience of 11.000 people. Those are the really special moments of touring with André Rieu and his orchestra. There is never a dull moment