Gigsberg Show 225827
Maastricht, the Christmas magic begins here — on Friday, 11 December 2026, André Rieu and his world-renowned Johann Strauss Orchestra will open their spectacular festive concert series at MECC Maastricht. Beginning at 19:30, this special opening-night performance marks the start of Christmas with André 2026, transforming Rieu’s hometown into a sparkling winter wonderland filled with music, romance and the unmistakable warmth of the festive season.
For André Rieu fans, December in Maastricht has become almost as important as the famous summer concerts on the Vrijthof. Instead of an open-air evening beneath the summer sky, audiences step inside MECC and enter an elaborate Christmas world created especially for these performances. Festive decorations, twinkling lights and magnificent scenery surround the orchestra, setting the stage for an evening designed to capture the joy and nostalgia of Christmas.
Together with his Johann Strauss Orchestra, world-class soloists and special guests, André Rieu will present a heartwarming programme combining romantic waltzes with some of the world’s most beloved Christmas music. The official programme highlights favourites including Ave Maria, O Holy Night, Jingle Bells, Hallelujah and Sleigh Ride, alongside other seasonal melodies and orchestral surprises.
And the spectacle extends far beyond the orchestra. André Rieu’s Maastricht Christmas production also features world-champion figure skaters, ice dancers and a large dance ensemble, adding movement and theatrical grandeur to the evening. The combination of live orchestral music, dancing, skating and elaborate scenery makes these performances feel less like a conventional concert and more like stepping inside a Christmas fairytale.
MECC Maastricht, located at Forum 100, 6229 GV Maastricht, provides the setting for this extraordinary production. For Christmas with André, the venue is transformed into what organisers describe as the world’s largest ballroom, creating a warm and immersive environment where thousands of guests can experience the performance together. Doors open at 17:00, two and a half hours before the concert begins, giving visitors plenty of time to arrive and enjoy the festive surroundings.
The 11 December concert is particularly special because it opens the entire 2026 Christmas residency. André Rieu will perform six concerts at MECC this December: 11, 12, 13, 18, 19 and 20 December, with each performance scheduled to begin at 19:30. The 11 December and 18 December concerts were added as extra dates, reflecting the strong demand surrounding Rieu’s annual festive performances in his hometown.
For international visitors, the concert is also an opportunity to experience Maastricht at one of its most atmospheric times of year. The historic centre takes on a distinctly festive character in December, making it easy to combine the concert with a winter weekend exploring the city’s old streets, cafés and illuminated squares. Maastricht’s tourism office describes the winter concerts as one of the most special ways to celebrate the holiday season.
André Rieu’s Christmas performances have developed into a tradition of their own. Families, couples and groups of friends travel to Maastricht from around the world, with many returning year after year. Rieu’s familiar combination of orchestral elegance, humour and audience interaction remains at the heart of the experience, but the Christmas setting adds another layer of emotion and spectacle.
Tickets for Friday, 11 December 2026 are available now. Official Maastricht tourism information currently lists ticket categories from €75 to €175, while André Rieu also offers travel packages for visitors wishing to build a longer Maastricht stay around the concert.
Whether you have experienced Christmas with André before or are planning your first festive visit to Maastricht, 11 December 2026 promises something particularly memorable: the very first night when the lights come on, the orchestra begins to play and another season of Christmas concerts officially gets underway.
Don’t miss your chance — secure your Maastricht tickets now and join André Rieu and the Johann Strauss Orchestra for the opening night of Christmas with André 2026 at MECC Maastricht.
Tickets are available on:
Tickets Are also available on Gigsberg ;
Andre Rieu
Where to Stay in Maastricht for André Rieu’s Summer and Winter Concerts There is nowhere in the world quite like Maastricht when André Rieu takes to the stage.…
See the Hotels →