Saturday, June 5
Finally the day has come, tonight the members of the Safinafanclub - together with the invited business people - will enjoy the first wonderful open air concert. It's still very rainy. But fortunately, the KNMI (the Dutch meteorological service) expects better weather...

In the course of the morning we leave the hotel for 'De Doolhof', where the orchestra is rehearsing already. It's time for us to label the chairs for our members with the fan club logo, encouraged by Alessandro and Federico, both amused by - and very happy with - our efforts for the fan club.

When Alessandro starts his sound check, we take some pictures to use for the next issue of our club magazine. When we suddenly appear in the scenery of ferns and bamboo right above him, he reacts - in between singing - with a joking: "Aaah MY raptors!!!"
Immediately after the sound check we return to the hotel where Alessandro takes his necessary rest to prepare on the evening concert. We ourselves take a dive into the swimming pool to prepare ourselves on a great evening. On the background: Ale's warm tenor voice on cd.

When we return, all dressed up, at the end of the afternoon in the lobby of our hotel, we meet a very relaxed Alessandro; he is also completely ready for the concert. After a drink and lots of anticipating fun we leave - one and a half hour before the concert - to 'De Doolhof' to take care of our members. We receive a lot of enthusiastic reactions when they observe the seats on which they and their relatives or friends are allowed to sit down. During the one and a half hour till the opening of the concert we have the opportunity to catch up with all old acquaintances and to introduce ourselves to new members who we meet for the first time in Tegelen.

At half past eight, when the orchestra strikes up under inspiring leadership of Glenn Corneille, the clouds are almost disappeared.
Anne-marie Titulaer announces the line of singers in a sun-drenched open air theatre.

Intensely we enjoy Sef Thissen's 'Somewhere' and 'Ol'man river' followed by 'What's going on' and 'She would' by the new winner of the programme Idols: Boris. His - rightly - proud father Gé brings us an excellent 'Speak softly love', 'That's life' and 'The lady is a tramp'. Leta Bell and her dancers dazzle in 'Get there' and together with her husband Sef, Leta sings the lovely duet 'When you tell me that you love me'.

The audience is all warmed up when 'our own' Alessandro enters the stage; for the multitude fans of course the most special moment of the evening! Alessandro also visibly enjoys the nearness of his fan club. After a fantastic 'D'amore, 'All'alba' and 'Notturno' he receives a deafening applause from a grateful audience. And not only from the first five rows…!

A break of one hour follows, during which everybody - over a glass of champagne and the delicious food of the buffet - enthusiastically talks about the first part of the concert. Meanwhile it's dark and the open air theatre has taken a whole new look. The sun, that has lighted up the theatre initially, has made place for a fabulous lighting.

Time for the second part of the concert, in which father and son Titulaer go first with a very convincing 'The greatest love of all'. Boris goes on solo with 'What's on your mind' and 'When you think of me'.
When Anne-marie announces Alessandro, she is taken by surprise… he is standing - sorpresa! - right behind her yet!

A glimpse at the first five rows tells us that everybody is enjoying intensely in her or his own way, one swoon in silence, the other sings every word together with Alessandro during 'Musica Di Te', 'Fine Non Ha Mai' and 'Incanto'. Too bad the time passes so quickly, for us Alessandro may continue singing for a while. But our Italian friend makes place for Do, who shortly before has arrived from Antwerp from a concert with another famous Dutch singer, Marco Borsato. Her successful song 'Heaven' is followed by 'Atlantic'.

When Alessandro, accompanied by Kelly ter Horst, appears and the first tones of his world famous song 'Luna' - recognizable for everybody - surround the theatre, the audience reacts wildly enthusiastic. Of course his fan club sways the so familiar sound.

It's way after midnight, when all singers appear together on stage for a sparkling Grand Finale. Together with the audience they build a party on the song 'Fantasy' of Earth, Wind & Fire. Fantasy becomes reality for a moment…

Backstage we render thanks on behalf of the whole fan club for a wonderful concert to everyone. The fantastic atmosphere, the friendship between the artists who enjoyed intensely of making music together, it all radiated great joy… Chapeau!!!

Once back in the hotel the table is already set for Alessandro and Federico. Before the concert there is only place for a light snack… but after the concert they have to eat something, of course. Lucky enough, the chef stayed again!
The afterglow starts in the bar with a drink and after a while Alessandro joins us; of course his re-arrival even heightens the conviviality! 'All'alba' we decide to go to sleep for a short while…

Sunday, June 6
After a very short night we get up early to stick the fan club logo on the stipulated chairs in 'De Doolhof' again.
Not only due to the sun and the very pleasant temperature it's a sunny day… Today we are able to reserve the very best seats for the fan club. While for every other visitor of the concert 'no reserved places' is applicable (first one comes first), this afternoon we will refer our members to the first three rows, exactly in front of the middle of the stage.

Then, quickly back to Holtmühle to dress up in order to be back in time in the theatre to welcome our members. In spite of the certainty of reserved places, Alessandro's fan club is ready for the Sunday afternoon concert long before the other seats are occupied… So, time enough to have a cosy chat with each other.

Under a beaming sun Anne-marie appears, on half past two precisely, to introduce the concert. The programme is almost the same as the night before. However, today we are also treated to a wonderful duet by Do and Boris: 'Do I do'.

Both the audience and the artists seem to be even more pleased then yesterday evening, everything is going perfectly and the whole concert is one big feast!

Alessandro creates a surprise with a not announced 'Come sol y Luna'. When he, unexpectedly, invites Leta's dancers on stage and asks them for assistance with the song, the party is totally complete! The audience gets lots of pleasure out of a radiating Alessandro and 'his' showgirls. With a disappointed: "Are you leaving already?" at the end of the song, he still has to say farewell again to the swinging ladies…

For everybody the time passes away too quickly and it's time for a concerted Grand Finale once more. The song 'Fantasy' merges into a long lasting standing ovation of the audience. Performers in top shape, sparkling weather and a wildly enthusiastic audience created a second Doolhof concert, that even transcended the first one!
Backstage; merely top satisfied initiators and artists… deservedly! Un GRANDE BRAVO a tutti!!!

Back to the hotel for a quick brush and dress up and immediately into the car again to set out for the after party, for which we have been invited for by the Génoten. Jan's car - driven by Alessandro in a very fast Italian way - shows us the way through Limburg…
The Génoten company knows how to build a party as we experience again this night! There's reason enough for… everybody can look back upon some extremely successful days!!!

The next morning there's still plenty of time to sit in the sparkling sun on the terrace of the hotel for post-enjoyment. Early afternoon Alessandro and Federico have to leave to catch their plane. After a warm goodbye we give them a rousing send-off. A ben presto a Maastricht…!

After loading our suitcases and checking out the hotel it's also 'finito' for us. We can't get enough of it; before we drive away the tenor of our Italian friend sounds from the car speakers again…

Arrivederci, Tegelen!