Always & Forever

The story of Australian Mirusia Louwerse’s discovery by André Rieu is the stuff of “dreams come true”. With Dutch parents but born and raised in Brisbane, the 25 year old’s graceful stage presence and effortless soprano voice belies her age. André Rieu is besieged with demos from all and sundry. As the maestro himself puts it “I get plenty of emails every day from people telling me that their daughter sings so beautifully or their son is such a wonderful trumpet player.” and, as it happened, one such missive came from Mirusia’s aunt in December 2007. Ever diligent, André went onto Mirusia’s website and, suitably impressed with what he heard, called her. After Mirusia initially dismissed André as a prank caller, Mirusia put down the receiver and packed her bags. She was off to audition for Andre the very next day. The meeting was a success. “It was unbelievable, I left Maastricht with a contract”, she says, still laughing at the shock of it. Always & Forever, Mirusia’s first solo album, is a story in 14 songs of the musical experiences Mirusia has enjoyed on stage and in the studio with André Rieu and his Johann Strauss Orchestra. It features performances of favourites like Schubert’s Ave Maria, Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Memory (Cats) and Wishing you were somehow here again (The Phantom of the Opera), as well as the breathtaking Concerto pour une voix from one-hit wonder Saint-Prieux, rediscovered by Rieu, and a tribute to her homeland Australia, by way of Botany Bay. Mirusia sings in six different languages on Always & Forever (English, German, Latin, French, Italian, Norwegian) and has also recorded two duets with her friend, collaborator and co-soloist with André Rieu, Carmen Monarcha (Plaisir d’amour and Send in the clowns).