Rufus Wainwright

Rufus Wainwright
Prima Donna - a symphonic visual concert and Rufus does Judy. Festival Theatre. Adelaide Festival. 18th March 2017

As a novice to the talents of Rufus Wainwright, I arrived at the Festival Theatre not sure what to expect. On seeing a full house of excited attendees, my curiosity was piqued. What a joyous surprise was in store! Not only is Rufus Wainwright a talented and versatile artist, but he is a composer of modern contemporary music and of classical opera. The juxtaposition of presenting his opera Prima Donna, followed by excerpts from his Rufus does Judy show, was stark but uplifting, and reinforced that music as a language is universal in its many forms.

The opera, sung in French, tells the story of an aging opera singer preparing for her comeback, experiencing all of the anxieties associated with it, whilst falling in love with a journalist. Backed by the superb Adelaide Symphony Orchestra, under the baton of Guy Simpson, the selections rise into the air triumphant, appreciatively received by the audience. The highlights to which we are treated show the depth of the work. Sung beautifully by Jacqueline Dark, as the Prima Donna, Regine St Laurent, Eva Kong as the maid and Andrew Goodwin as the journalist, the pieces are diverse and challenging.

Wainwright, through his arias, ably conveys the emotive states of the characters and he is not afraid to inject comic relief in the sometimes-heavy content. He is also unafraid of leaning on the discordant to convey his message. Some highlights are a duet between Dark and Kong about the Prima Donna’s return to the stage and a duet of love between Dark and Goodwin, accompanied by a swelling orchestra and swelling full moon behind. Both are passionate and beautifully sung.

Coupled with the beauty of the vocals and orchestra are the stunning film images projected behind. Directed by Francesco Vezzoli and featuring Cindy Sherman, we are haunted during the performances by the life of the Prima Donna, to her death on a Bastille Day. Beautifully done.

After an interval and with the ASO rearranged, we are greeted by a huge sign naming Rufus as “the world’s greatest entertainer”. Whilst a bold claim, I would say that after my experience he would come very, very close! Wainwright took to the stage in the second half to bring us highlights of his highly-acclaimed Rufus Does Judy concert.

In the ultimate tribute, Wainwright has recreated Judy Garland’s 1961 Carnegie Hall concert, considered by some to be the greatest night in show business history. The subsequent live album inspired Wainwright to create his own tribute show, which sold out, and stunned audiences over two nights at the Carnegie Hall on June 14-15 in 2006.

Wainwright is more than a match for the selection of songs, changing the keys of all to suit his vocal range, except Do It Again, which he masterfully performs in the same key as Garland. His renditions of ‘San Francisco’, ‘The Man That Got Away’, ‘Puttin’ On The Ritz’ and ‘Zing! Went The Strings Of My Heart’had the audience enthralled, lapping up each note of Wainwright’s distinctive, powerful and diverse voice.  Tackling quieter jazz standards to full big band numbers, Wainwright takes us on a rollercoaster ride through the selection. Two personal highlights were a beautiful solo with the brilliant Mark Ferguson on piano of ‘A Foggy Day’ and the inimitable ‘Somewhere over the Rainbow’ delivered by Wainwright seated on a fold back speaker at the front of the stage – masterfully delivered on both counts. As an ‘in mourning’ Carrie Fisher fan myself, his pausing to remember her and dedication of ‘If Love Were All’was unforgettable, as was his delivery of his own piece, ‘Forever And A Year’ from the 2015 Australian film, Holding The Man.

Rufus Wainwright is a true musical powerhouse, showing us his versatility as an artist. He is a consummate performer and showman whose energy and passion is infectious. We can only hope that it is not too long before he graces our shores once more, bringing his own brand of fabulous to engage and enrapture us once more. An eclectic, but hugely uplifting night of theatre!

Shelley Hampton

Photographer: Tony Lewis.

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