Sharing a November 5, 2026 interviewing article from Tudás.hu. By Bódy Géza, November 6, 2026, Translation by Diana D. Le The Hungarian opera singer, without whom there is no André Rieu concert – Béla Mavrák During his decades of career, opera singer Béla Mavrák sang at 1700 André Rieu concerts, and never canceled a performance. The Hungarian artist also spoke about his relationship with the Dutch violin virtuoso, the endless travel and performances, and the behind-the-scenes secrets of the spectacular concerts in an interview with Tudás.hu. His career as an individual opera singer is no less impressive, he sang leading roles in the most famous opera houses in the world. The greatest masters were trained in the stronghold of opera, Italy. What did they give you to take with you on your journey? Béla Mavrák: "I enrolled in the Belgrade Academy of Music in 1989. After graduation, I was able to learn from the “stars” in Italy the behind-the-scenes secrets of bel canto, i.e. the lyrical beautiful vocals. As a role model, I mention the greatest of lyrical tenor, the perfect melody formation, i.e. the bel canto: Franco Corelli, the longest-singing Gianni Raimondi of the tenorists, and last but not least, Gioddat Niocolai. The list would not be complete without Enrico Caruso, who was one of the most famous and influential opera singers of the 20th century. "I learned the secrets of 'bel canto' from the greatest masters, approaching the genre with humility and respect, and continuing the path laid out by my mentors." You have been working with world-renowned violinist André Rieu and his orchestra with Johann Straus Orchestra for 21 years. How did this relationship begin today? B.M.: "Before this cooperation started, I had many performances before that, mainly with my other two colleagues, one Australian and one German tenor. We have appeared in many places under the name “Platin Tenors”, we have appeared in many television shows, for example, in the productions of the two largest German public service broadcasters, ARD and ZDF. "We were in the right place at the right time. In these productions, violinist André Rieu and his wife saw it, so this is where they discovered us. "We sent our CD to one of the violinists of the orchestra, and then it didn’t take long, we already performed with Rieu’s orchestra." Where was the first concert together? B.M.: "On the ZDF New Year's Eve show, after which we were waiting for a one-year contract. This cooperation went so well that Rieu told us that we would stay as long as we wanted. It’s been a relationship spanning several decades, based on mutual respect." Speaking of contact, what kind of boss is Rieu? B.M.: "I think we’ve developed a real rapport over the decades. There’s a tremendous amount of work, with a lot of organizing involved. "I wouldn’t trade places with André Rieu—he has so many tasks and such a huge amount of responsibility! "He not only plays the violin and conduct, but also participates in organization, rehearsals, and company management. Unthinkable pace and work ethic! Fortunately, I can reach him by phone if necessary." You can call him anytime? B.M.: "I think so. And the feeling is mutual." When did you talk privately? B.M.: "A few weeks ago, I went on a trip to Mount Vesuvius. I was wandering around the crater when my phone rang. It was Rieu calling; he needed me to translate something from Serbo-Croatian. But that’s fine—our relationship isn’t limited to just the show." Really? B.M.: "When the coronavirus pandemic was raging, we didn’t have any performances. But even then, we received half of our fee, and he made up the rest once the danger had passed. It’s also a testament to Rieu’s humanity that when my father passed away, I called him to ask what I should do, since we had to continue our tour. "In that hellish situation, his response was simply to tell me to do whatever I thought was best. "I said: 'I hadn’t canceled a concert over the years, but if you help me now, I’ll thank you.' I went home to bury my father, but that night, I flew to Frankfurt and from there to Florida. I was on the scene three hours before the concert." When you sang Nessun Dorma from Turandot, I saw that Rieu’s eyes were not left dry either. B.M.: "André is such a man, such a friend, and such a colleague." Recalling these stories, which locations and performances were still engraved in your memory? B.M.: "This includes Maastricht, the capital [of Limburg]. We have 12 sold-out concerts in the main square in front of the church and the town hall, with a fantastic atmosphere unlike any other. "Fifteen thousand people sing, dance, and have fun at the same time! It's not just the audience, it's me. It's a pleasure to be an honorary citizen of the city. "There are a lot of tourists, the atmosphere is a real carnival. The fans come from almost all continents, which is no wonder, as we try to spread the word about the music. Remember, the audience’s self-indulgent entertainment also contributes to the success of an artist." You have been to Budapest with Rieu several times; you were here not too long ago, too. What memories do you have of us? B.M.: "In front of Hungarian audiences, André Rieu always introduces me as Hungarian. That’s when I get a huge round of applause. Of course, this is both a joy and a responsibility, since I’m singing for my own people. I feel the same way when we perform in Vojvodina, in the Southern Territories, since that’s where I grew up." As I see it, there’s no shortage of love from the fans. How do you handle this constant attention and devotion? B.M.: "I liken it most to a boomerang: we throw out our love and humility, but we get it back. There’s constant contact with the audience; it’s nice to look people in the eye during a performance. "There’s no greater joy for an artist than seeing the audience leave a performance happy and enriched by the experience. "I do not deny that it caused some dilemmas whether I made the right decision to commit so much to Rieu’s band, although I also have my own performances." And yet, right after the beginning, your performances took off at a tremendous pace… B.M.: "That’s true. In 1999, I was invited to perform at a charity concert organized by the Yehudi Menuhin Foundation, conducted by the maestro himself, Lord Yehudi Menuhin, one of the greatest violinists of the twentieth century. A year later, I sang the greatest lyric tenor roles in theaters and opera houses around the world." Can you mention examples? B.M.: "'Su-Chong', from Ferenc Lehár’s The Land of Smiles; or 'Sándor Barinkay', from Johann Strauss II’s The Gypsy Baron; 'Edwin', from Imre Kálmán’s The Csárdás Queen; or the 'Duke of Mantua', from Verdi’s Rigoletto. The list goes on and on, because I had a huge career ahead of me, with a contract in Switzerland. That’s why signing with Rieu was a “big decision” for me. I never thought it would turn into more than two decades. "In hindsight, I say I don’t regret a minute, because André Rieu and his orchestra give the audience a show of classical repertoire. "I must also admit that some of the operas I performed in individually did not follow the best directorial concepts. This also gave me some incentive to the cooperation." What did you not like about the director’s concepts? Is it fashionable to modernize a masterpiece or do not you see it that way? B.M.: "I’m not a fan of that—quite the opposite, in fact. To stick with the example, we were required to perform in the play wearing modern clothing, which also distorted history. I even pointed out to the director that this was unnecessary. "I was ashamed; even the opening night was unpleasant. When the audience honors us with their presence, this is what they get in return. "The next day, the reviews said that the music was wonderful, but you had to enjoy the performance with your eyes closed. That gave me the push I needed to not regret my decision to continue with Rieu. Here I am, walking out in a tailcoat, and I know what’s in store for me. I understand that we need to get young people to love this genre, but in my opinion, modernizing a masterpiece isn’t the way to do it." How stressful is a tour? B.M.: "We’ve traveled around the world many times. I think I’m a world record holder, but nobody gets any younger. "Over the course of two decades, I’ve sung at more than 1,700 Rieu concerts—and I haven’t canceled a single one! That doesn’t even include my solo performances. "I don’t know what tomorrow will bring, since Rieu is over seventy, and I’m not getting any younger either. I won’t deny it—I used to look forward to flying, but now the real joy is getting home. We’ll be starting rehearsals for the next season soon, and we’ll even be coming to Budapest." Since you mentioned Budapest, when can we see you perform in a solo concert in Hungary? B.M.: "I’d come if I were invited! I’d really look forward to the show! But that hasn’t happened yet—please don’t ask why."

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