RUFUS-RETRO-WAINWRIGHT-SPECTIVE: ACT 1

Music @ The Wallis is generously made possible by Terri and Jerry Kohl

Rufus Wainwright reimagines and reignites his COVID-19 born digital phenomenon Rufus-Retro-Wainwright-Spective for its U.S. debut, after premiering to the world at the Philharmonie de Paris. Rufus takes to The Wallis stage for the first time for three concerts in this rarely performed herculean task, singing over 70 different songs in one single epic week. Originating from Wainwright’s “Quaratunes,” the Rufus-Retro-Wainwright-Spective journeys through his entire studio catalogue, arranging the songs not chronologically but thematically into 3 main categories: Songs of Youth and Addiction; Songs of Love and Desire; and Songs of Contempt and Resistance. The three night presentation of songs will feature a different program each evening and will be stripped down, focusing on the craft of the songs and Wainwright's unique and gorgeous voice that lets him immerse himself deep into the emotional world of a song and take the audience with him. 

Over the last 20 years Wainwright has collaborated with some of the most acclaimed visual artists of our time. For his Rufus-Retro-Wainwright-Spective he is once again soliciting the support of an extraordinary visual artist. Italian painter and media artist Gioele Amaro is creating art videos that will accompany each of the songs over the three night retrospective.

Wainwright says, “I have always admired Gioele’s art. It is poetic and steeped in cultural references yet it is incredibly of today and almost hyper-contemporary which my songs aren’t necessarily. Yet I see a kinship between my songs and Gioele’s imagery especially the new much more surreal direction that he is taking for our project where the images create a sense of wonder, of story and could be seen as enigmatic metaphors for what the songs could mean to the audience. I am truly excited to perform in front of these videos and feel how the audience reacts to this audio-visual synthesis.”