Photo Martine Calvinhac

Manoe Konings from Maastricht has been the cheerful note in the Johann Strauss Orchestra for 36 years: 'I've already had the chance to drink about 2000 glasses of champagne' De Limburger, June 30, 2025, by Ronald Colée, photos by Harry Heuts Translated by Ineke Edited by Diana D. Le Manoe Konings has been part of André Rieu's Johann Strauss Orchestra since 1989. She is the driving force in the Johann Strauss Orchestra. Every night, she drinks tenor Béla Mávrak's glass of champagne in one go, whistles with her fingers, and plays the bagpipes if desired. Yet, clarinetist Manoe Konings has also seen the dark side of life. "Without music I would never have gotten through it." Lyrics as a guideline Using song lyrics, we interview a well-known figure from the Limburg cultural world every two weeks. This time, it is Manoe Konings, clarinetist of the Johann Strauss Orchestra of André Rieu. The Maastricht native (10 March 1961) studied General Music Education and clarinet at the conservatorium Maastricht, after which se taught music for a few years at the LHNO in Wyckerveld, the Maastricht harmonies “Gele Rijders” and “Heer Vooruit”, the harmonie “Sint-Cecilia 1866” Geleen, and the harmonie “Sint-Caecilia in Geulle”. In 1989 she joined the Johann Strauss Orchestra of André Rieu, where she also led the (sheet) music department until 2002. In addition to clarinet, Konings occasionally plays saxophone, bagpipes, guitar, and banjo in the orchestra, and occasionally sings the lighter numbers. The 64-year-old musician is single and lives in Maastricht. If only he doesn't become a footballer, they might kick him half to death (Boudewijn de Groot – Jimmy) "When I was four, I already knew that I wanted to be a musician later. My parents had a hairdressing salon in the Malpertuis district of Maastricht. One day, a customer asked me if I wanted to be a hairdresser later, to which I replied: 'No, ma'am, I'm going to study music'. I'll become famous and I'll be 96. Because that was the age at which my great-grandmother had died just before. I owe my love of music to Bertus Habets, my grandfather on my mother's side. He was a trumpet player of Willy Schobbe level, but was never able to realize his dream of becoming a musician, because he came from a farming village and grew up in a family with ten children. He was a member of the Heer Vooruit harmony. I also wanted to wear a monkey suit, was given an E-flat clarinet and became the first girl in the harmonie. What caused a lot of stir was the discussion about whether I should be fitted for trousers or a skirt. Fortunately, 29 members voted for trousers and 28 for a skirt. After three months, I was allowed to play the solo in The Caliph of Baghdad. Afterwards the bigwigs said: we should have given that girl an oboe. I only briefly doubted whether I wanted to become a musician. During a project week at secondary school in which we visited the sports academy. I was doing judo, handball, running, aikido and aerobics and was also good at it. But after that week I thought: nooooo, music is my first love. After all, I didn't choose HAVO instead of VWO (4 or 5 years of secondary schools) for nothing so that I could go to the conservatory a year earlier?" Dad, I'm looking more and more like you (Stef Bos – Dad) “With glasses, I look exactly like my father, without glasses like my mother. I get my temperament from her. My father is a bit calmer. I get my musical side from both. Dad was in the orchestra and my mother played the violin for seven years. However, it was grandpa Bertus who taught me to read music. Because my parents were always working, I spent a lot of time with him and grandma in Heer. I also unmistakably got my clownish and mischievous side from grandpa, who was Limburg's buutte champion in 1961. (Regional stand- up comedian contest). He encouraged me to enter the buut as well. But I never made any effort to do so. I only stood on that barrel (the stage) twice. At my parents' silver wedding anniversary and at that of my uncle and aunt. That mischievous side has also led to me drinking about two thousand glasses of champagne on stage at the Johann Strauss Orchestra in the past twenty years. The tenors always came with a glass of champagne to the song “Libiamo” from the opera La Traviata. I once comically pointed out to André that I would also like a glass of champagne, whereupon he gave me the one from Béla Mávrak. To the hilarity of the audience, I then drank it down in one go. Afterwards André said: ‘We’ll keep that in’. Because he likes that kind of cheerful and spontaneous actions. The more, the better it is, provided they fit in with the concept. I don’t think that’s a punishment. Because in the first few years it was still a bit of a mess of what was in those glasses, but after André had tasted a sip himself, it became Moët & Chandon.” Enjoy life as long as you are alive (Sjef Diederen – Enjoy life as long as you are alive) “Because I literally looked death in the eye, I can now enjoy everything. It starts when I open the shutters and the sun shines in my eyes. In March 2001, just after my fortieth birthday, I was diagnosed with breast cancer. I didn’t notice anything, but a roommate discovered a lump on the side of my breast while I was getting dressed. A puncture and biopsy didn’t provide any clarity on whether the tumor was benign or malignant, but the operation did. In the end, I was out for a year, even though I hadn’t missed a single concert up to that point. During my illness, I had to miss about twenty concerts because I was receiving radiation five times a week. But I was there on the weekends. I flew to the performance venue in a private jet under the guise of delivering a package. 2001 was also the year in which we with the Johann Strauss Orchestra for the first time. There was no way I was going to miss that trip. So I asked the oncologist between chemo 5 and chemo 6 if I could go to Japan. Laughing wasn't really his thing, but when he got that request, he actually had to chuckle. It's been 24 years since then, 24 years in which three more colleagues have come into contact with cancer. Then, you are reminded of what happened to you. But it's not like I'm afraid that I'll get it back. Outside of the orchestra, what I enjoy a lot are my singing and guitar lessons and my Wushu training. Hitting or kicking a 'path' for two hours. In addition, three years ago I discovered the theater subscription with Karin Haine, who sings in the choir, and Wednesday is our regular walking day when we walk eight to twelve kilometers." I'll take you, take you on a journey. Take you, to Rome or Paris. (Gers Pardoel – I’ll take you with me) “Although we travel all over the world with the Johann Strauss Orchestra, it doesn’t feel like a holiday. Because André has one requirement and that is that you are well-rested on stage in the evening. The older generation is already having breakfast at 8 o’clock, the younger ones often not until 10 o’clock. Since we always have lunch together, there is not much time left to really get to know a city or country. That is why, when I go on holiday, I really want to see and experience something. For example, last year I visited Cambodia and Vietnam, crossed the Amazon region in the past, and I have also been on safari in Kenya and Tanzania. Since then, I have known for sure: in my next life I will become a veterinarian in Africa. When you see a herd of white rhinos or a lion ready to chase an antelope, it makes me quiet. Those muscles. What beauty and strength. The idea that you yourself are potentially lunch reinforces that feeling. So impressive. And what a difference with The Netherlands. Here, you will at most be bitten by an adder.” No more fearful heart than mine (Rob de Nijs – Banger Hart) “I don’t know any fears, although I do suffer a tiny bit from acrophobia. However, I have jumped out of a plane five times. No, not a tandem jump, because I don’t like that at all. Five times on my own with a parachute. After my final exams at the conservatory. In Leopoldsburg. During one of those jumps I also made a ‘perfect tree landing’. Felt like a little bird, haha. How do you escape that fear of heights? On a tall building, I hold the railing a little tighter than before. But I do it. Try to get over it.” I'm not reformed or anything, not Catholic. I only come here for the music (DC Lewis – My Prayer) “I was baptized and went to church every week until I was twelve, but I eventually had myself de-registered from the Catholic Church. Because as a woman, I am not allowed to become a priest and because the Bible was only written by men three hundred years after Christ's death. Purely to be able to exercise power over the people. When a new pope is elected, I think: nice, but I would like it even more if he had appointed a few female cardinals. In that respect, the Protestant Church appeals to me more now. At least there, a woman is allowed to become a minister, be married, and talk about family life. That is also the strange thing about all religions, by the way: they are based on love and what do they do? Oppress. Take Mormons for example, who are allowed to have multiple wives. Then I think: why can't those women have multiple husbands?” Everyone loves Doekoe. Everybody loves money (Def Rhymz – Doekoe) “It’s nice to have money to do fun things. But I think it’s ten times more fun to save up for something than to just buy it. The last thing I bought for myself was an electric toothbrush. But that other one was already ten years old. And my computer will soon need replacing, because I’m already getting all kinds of messages that certain programs will no longer be supported from October. When I spend money, it’s usually on my godchildren. The youngest, Jana, wants to get into the world of musicals. So I went to see Elisabeth and ‘40-‘45 with her. And when she was sixteen, she was allowed to choose a city trip within Europe. That ended up being London. My oldest godchild, Pauline, is already 33 and I gave her money to furnish her apartment when she moved in with someone. I like that more than buying something new. Besides that toothbrush, I can think of something else I bought for myself: a Wasgij puzzle. Do you know that one? Then you should not trying to put the picture on the box, but a scene that follows it or that can be deduced from that image. I used to love doing puzzles with my father. Then we forgot the time - sometimes we were still downstairs at the table at three in the morning - and my mother came to direct us to bed.” She understands the art of belonging to me (Frans Halsema – Voor Haar) “I was married to a woman for twelve years, but that relationship ended because I lost myself, gave up too much of myself. In a healthy relationship, there must be room for yourself, for the other, and for being together. I sometimes miss a partner, but I don’t feel any less happy because of it. I now have the freedom to do everything I want and don’t have to ask for anything anymore. I have always had a lot of attention, from boys and girls. For example, an uncle of saxophonist Sanne Mestrom once let slip that “Manoe ein hendig stök waor” at the conservatory. But I never noticed that attention. For example, trombonist Ruud Merx once asked me to go for a cup of coffee. Not for a second did I realize that it was to pair me with Sanne’s uncle. My first relationship was when I was sixteen, with a boy from the drumband of the harmony in Heer. Later, when I was 25, I also lived with a man. That was really nice, but something was missing and I didn't know what. Until I fell in love with a woman for the first time when I was 29. Then everything fell into place." Stars come, stars go. Only Elvis Remains (Gorki – Mia) “I used to have a poster of Ard Schenk and Harm Kuipers hanging above my bed. I was crazy about skating and loved taking long trips across the Veluwemeer with my uncle and cousin when they moved to Harderwijk. In terms of music, I grew up with opera, operetta, and musical music. On Saturdays, we always watched the program “Musik ist Trumpf“ on German TV, in which Peter Alexander and Anneliese Rothenberger regularly made an appearance. I only came into contact with pop music at secondary school. A friend of mine was crazy about Neil Diamond, but I never had that, that my attention was focused on one artist. I also don’t understand fans who come to all our concerts. I always take a picture with them. But if they say “I don’t wanna disturb you” during breakfast and are still at our table half an hour later, I get a bit grumpy. During the Vrijthof concerts, I often go wearing sunglasses and a cap through the city because real fans go on safari and want to spot you in the wild. What helps is that I wear glasses during the day and contact lenses on stage. Don't get me wrong: I like that they come to watch, but I don't feel like a celebrity at all and I want to keep it that way." It's hard to stay modest when you're as good as I am (Peter Blanker – It's hard to stay modest) “Haha, Sanne Mestrom sings that song every night on stage before the start of the “Sportpalastwalzer” in which I have to whistle with my fingers. The moment André introduces me to the audience and I stand up, she starts singing that song loudly and I have to try to hold back my laughter. Despite the fact that I do so much crazy stuff, I sincerely hope that I never get too big for my boots. When I'm enthusiastic, I'm really enthusiastic, but I'm also a good listener. Because the ladies' locker room is sometimes a complete chicken coop where I can sit quietly listening to music with my AirPods in while putting on make-up. I don't think I'm the loudest either, although I was. Nowadays it's mainly the young people who are super enthusiastic. We were the same in 1995, when we broke through with the “Second Waltz.” Because that shitty feeling that arose then. That will never go away and that's what you did (Meau – That's what you did) "Do I regret anything? No, although I have to come back twice after my death to fulfill my other wishes: to become a veterinarian in Africa and to earn a living as a jazz singer. Although, when I see those documentaries about Ella Fitzgerald, Aretha Franklin, Billie Holiday, and Whitney Houston, I wonder if I would want to lead such a life." Uncle Arie was about eighty. Uncle Willem was also about the same. They still thought life was wonderful (Toon Hermans – Café Biljart) “I am not afraid of growing older. Didn’t I say I will live to be 96? And actually, I even want to catch up with my grandmother on my mother’s side who lived to be 103 years, 7 months, and 22 days old. That means I want to live to be 103 years, 7 months, and 23 days old. If I am to believe André who wants to continue making music until he is 140, I have to continue until I am 129. I am willing to do that, on one condition: that I get my own parking space for my mobility scooter in front of the stage. With a nameplate.” Manoe Konings' own choice: My music pulls me through (John Miles – Music) and I got so much love to give (Gloria Gaynor – I will survive) “Actually, it is not one, but two songs that will forever be associated with me: Music by John Miles and I will survive by Gloria Gaynor. On the day of the opening party of our studio in Amby in 2001, I got the results of whether my tumor was benign or malignant. Everyone in the orchestra knew that. When it was malignant, I doubted whether I should go to that party. In the end, I did, which caused a few tears to be shed here and there. Then I said: let's party! Then I walked up to the DJ duo, requested “I will survive” and sang “I got so much love to give” at the top of my lungs. That same evening, that song was played twice more and both times everyone went completely crazy again. As for Music: I always thought it was a beautiful song, but after my illness it simply became my truth. As John Miles sings: “My music pulls me through”. The orchestra was my therapy. No matter how sick I was, I had to make music. Without music I would never have gotten through it.”