Celebrated singer-songwriter branches out to other mediums, elaborates on his inspirations like Judy Garland and his folk-singer mother, and dishes on how a backstage interloper would become his husband
by tom andrew –
The New York Times has lauded Rufus Wainwright for his “genuine originality.” Rolling Stone calls him “brilliant,” and The Guardian says he’s “an incorrigible crowd pleaser.” He has had quite a tumultuous life and career, but there’s really no need to go into all of that except to say that what he has experienced in his life thus far has come out in his lyrics and music. It’s THAT, which makes Rufus Wainwright who he is and how he’s been able to connect with so many people through his music.
San Diegans will get a rare chance to see him in concert with the San Diego Symphony Orchestra on Saturday, November 16 at Copley Symphony Hall. And while he won’t be recreating the entire Judy Garland at Carnegie Hall concert, he will have a few choice Garland favorites on hand.
“I came up with that idea a few moons ago,” Wainwright said. “It was a tribute, during yet another dark period of American history, notably the Iraq War, and I was living in the United States and feeling very discouraged about what was happening, what our country was doing in the world. I was being negative about that, about the U.S. But I still lived there and wanted to have some moments to be proud of. Some little feelings here and there of patriotism.
“It was a tribute, during yet another dark period of American history, notably the Iraq War, and I was living in the United States and feeling very discouraged about what was happening, what our country was doing in the world.”
– rufus wainwright
“So, I ended up listening to a Judy Garland record a lot – her concert from 1961, which was arguably one of the more glorious moments of her past,” he said. “A large part of the idea was, of course, to do it at Carnegie Hall. They wanted to recreate where that album was recorded. I was just, I don’t know, reminded of how great America could be and how sophisticated and passionate and then the thought of doing that concert became really necessary.”
If you look at Wainwright’s tour schedule, you’d think the singer would have no time for anything else. But he does have moments to get away, and he plans to enjoy San Diego a little bit while he is here.
The concert at Copley Symphony Hall will be conducted with the San Diego Symphony Orchestra. It’s a concert he’ll only be performing twice on this particular tour.
“Yeah. Well, I mean I do them periodically,” Wainwright said. “You know, they really have become a kind of overview of my various musical exploits now, be it music from my records or a Judy song here and there, or even sometimes moments from my operas. It’s a lovely way to fully express the trajectory that I’ve got, that I’ve chosen over the years, which is quite wide and perfectly suited to an orchestra and I’m really excited to bring it to the West Coast.”
Songs like “Cigarettes and Chocolate Milk,” “Hallelujah” and “Poses”are fan favorites. “Poses” was written years ago when the singer was living in New York City.
“So he kind of showed up. He managed to get backstage through mutual acquaintances. And of course, the moment I set eyes on him I was like, ‘Oh my God,’ this is, this could be a fun little enterprise.”
– RUFUS WAINWRIGHT
“Well, I was essentially living at the Chelsea Hotel in New York and I had made my first album in Los Angeles. And before that, I really had been kind of shunned from Manhattan. I wasn’t at all understood in the downtown scene. It was very different,” Wainwright said. “Whereas when I got to Hollywood, they really embraced me. So this was my return to the city, to the Emerald City.”
“And, of course, because I had a record deal and I had some notoriety, they immediately took me on. I took them on, too, and just had the time of my life in New York and living at the Chelsea. You know, ‘Poses’ is really kind of this nasty, at the apex of that experience where, you know, I was very much in a blissful state, but also, you know, getting into the hands of the downfall and the price that one has to pay for that kind of behavior. So, it gets written from atop a cloud, I guess.”
When asked if he has any favorite songs, the singer took his time before answering. Given his library of music, it must be tough to narrow it down to just a few. One thing is for sure, though. His mother – Canadian folk singer Kate McGarrigle, who died in January 2010 – had a big impact on him.
“That’s a hard question to answer because I do so many,” Wainwright said. “And there is such a variety. You know? But I probably have to say I love performing my mother’s stuff. Songs like ‘Mendocino.’ ‘Heart Like a Wheel’ and songs that she wrote. And that’s because, I mean, I miss her terribly. And sadly, she died 10 years ago. And very few people have the opportunity, you know, to sing their parents’ work. And it really does bring them back to life. So those I would say are my favorites.”
Wainwright is thankful for the help and support of his German-born husband, Jörn Weisbrodt, who also happens to be his producer. The two met in Berlin, were engaged in 2010, and married in 2012.
“Well, I mean, he was interested in working with me professionally,” Wainwright said. “So he kind of showed up. He managed to get backstage through mutual acquaintances. And of course, the moment I set eyes on him I was like, ‘Oh my God,’ this is, this could be a fun little enterprise. We went out for drinks after the show and nothing happened.”
“You know, nothing too crazy but that … but that was actually a good thing because then it became a sort of … a courtship. You know? The project was very quickly dropped and Jörn hat I did in my downtime. It was nice that it became an actual process working over the next few months, we just looked out for each other and then one day, we, ya know, did it.”
Getting back to one thing Wainwright said about his mother’s songs. He said singing them, in essence, keeps her alive. While he won’t be performing any of her songs at his San Diego concert, there is one song that he’ll be singing just for her. “You know, in a lot of ways, ‘Somewhere Over the Rainbow’ is a tribute to her,” he said. “She used to accompany me on that song as a small child and up until she passed away. So that’s very much a nod to her.”
Rufus Wainwright with the San Diego Symphony takes place Saturday, November 16 at 8 p.m. 619.235.0804 or sandiegosymphony.org