Rufus Wainwright
Michael Berkeley's guest is singer-songwriter Rufus Wainwright. His choices include Verdi, Massenet, Messiaen, Nina Simone, Weill, Manuel de Falla, Berlioz and Judy Garland.
Canadian-American singer-songwriter Rufus Wainwright can justifiably be described as a member of folk royalty. The son of Loudon Wainwright 3rd and the late Kate McGarrigle, he is also the nephew of Anna McGarrigle and brother of Martha Wainwright, all accomplished musicians in their own right. He describes about how he spent the first few weeks of his life sleeping in a guitar-case, sang with his family from an early age, and depended on them during the difficult periods of his life. His teenage years and his twenties heralded difficulties coming to terms with his sexuality and with drug addiction, but he continued to perform and write music throughout the hard times. Now married to artistic director Jorn Wiesbrodt, he is also a father of Lorca, whose mother is the daughter of Leonard Cohen. Obsessed with Verdi, he has composed his own opera, set Shakespeare sonnets to music and composed for the ballet.
His choices include Verdi, Massenet, Messiaen, Nina Simone, Kurt Weill, Manuel de Falla, Berlioz and Judy Garland.
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Music Played
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Harold Arlen
Come Rain or Come Shine
Singer: Judy Garland. -
Jules Massenet
Meditation (Thais)
Orchestra: Berlin Philharmonic. Conductor: Herbert von Karajan. Performer: Anne鈥怱ophie Mutter. -
Hector Berlioz
L'Absence (Les Nuits d'Ete)
Orchestra: Suisse Romande Orchestra. Conductor: Ernest Ansermet. Singer: R茅gine Crespin. -
Manuel de Falla
Ritual Fire Dance (El Amor Brujo)
Performer: Alicia de Larrocha. -
Olivier Messiaen
L'Ange se prepare a jouer de la viole (St Francois d'Assise)
Orchestra: Hall茅. Conductor: Kent Nagano. -
Kurt Weill
Surabaya Johnny
Singer: Lotte Lenya. -
Nina Simone
My Baby Just Cares For Me
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Giuseppe Verdi
Rex Tremendae (Requiem)
Orchestra: Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra. Conductor: Fritz Reiner. Singer: Leontyne Price. Singer: Rosalind Elias. Singer: Jussi Bj枚rling. Singer: Giorgio Tozzi. Choir: Wiener Singverein. -
Hector Berlioz
L'Absence (Les Nuits d'Ete)
Orchestra: Suisse Romande Orchestra. Conductor: Ernest Ansermet. Singer: R茅gine Crespin. -
Manuel de Falla
Ritual Fire Dance (El Amor Brujo)
Performer: Alicia de Larrocha. -
Giuseppe Verdi
Rex Tremendae (Requiem)
Orchestra: Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra. Conductor: Fritz Reiner. Singer: Leontyne Price. Singer: Rosalind Elias. Singer: Jussi Bj枚rling. Singer: Giorgio Tozzi. Choir: Wiener Singverein. -
Kurt Weill
Surabaya Johnny
Singer: Lotte Lenya. -
Jules Massenet
Meditation (Thais)
Orchestra: Berlin Philharmonic. Conductor: Herbert von Karajan. Performer: Anne鈥怱ophie Mutter. -
Nina Simone
My Baby Just Cares For Me
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Olivier Messiaen
L'Ange se prepare a jouer de la viole (St Francois d'Assise)
Orchestra: Hall茅. Conductor: Kent Nagano. -
Harold Arlen
Come Rain or Come Shine
Singer: Judy Garland. -
Francesco Corbetta
Sarabande La Victoire
Broadcasts
- Sun 30 Jun 2013 12:00大象传媒 Radio 3
- Sun 12 Jan 2014 12:00大象传媒 Radio 3
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