CLASSICAL20.COM

A documentary film by George Scott.

Rufus Wainwright is a unique singer-songwriter and is one of the few pop musicians with the artistic credentials to be taken seriously in the classical world

Decca will release a comprehensive 90-minute documentary exploring Rufus Wainwright’s life-long interest in opera, the composition of his first opera, Prima Donna, and following rehearsals of the work up to the opening night on 10 July 2009 at the Manchester International Festival

The opera narrates the story of Régine Saint Laurent (Janis Kelly), once the world’s most revered operatic soprano, who is preparing for her return to the stage after six years of silence. But in doing so, Régine is forced to confront the ghosts of her past. Can she defeat the demons that destroyed her career, and emerge triumphantly once more into the spotlight?

The opera was received extremely well by press: ‘A love song to opera’ (The Times), ‘Disarmingly beautiful’ (New York Times), ‘Thrilling’ (Manchester Evening News) and ‘Breathtaking design’, found The Guardian.

The DVD is an extended version of the BBC’s Imagine… documentary, first broadcast on BBC One in the summer of 2009 and will include extensive interview footage with Rufus, his parents, sister, boyfriend, Prima Donna’s conductor and director, plus endorsements from Renée Fleming. The extra footage includes Wainwright singing the final Prima Donna aria at the piano and him singing Shakespeare’s Sonnet no.20.

Read a review in Financial Times here.