Photo: A&E/Zach Dilgard
Rufus Wainwright barely escaped a torrential downpour as he performed a six-song set at Manhattan's City Hall Park on Saturday in support of the Recovery Project, a multiyear initiative developed by A&E network, government groups and non-profits to help raise awareness that addiction is treatable and recovery is possible.
After thousands of participants formed a human chain across the Brooklyn Bridge in a life-sized symbol of recovery, they headed over to a rally at the park, where Wainwright concluded the ceremony. He may have started his performance around 11:30 AM, but the crooner's vocals were as stellar as always. He opened with "Vibrate" (a song he wrote right before he headed to recovery), then played favorites "Beauty Mark" (for his mum), "Cigarettes and Chocolate Milk" (about finding optimism in the face of addiction), "Going to a Town," and "Matinee Idol," before closing the mini-concert with his gorgeous cover of "Hallelujah."
We tracked down Wainwright after the show -- but just before the storm broke -- to chat about his upcoming opera, his picks for the Greatest, Gayest Album of All Time, and the presidential debates.
Out: How did you choose your set for this performance?
Rufus Wainwright: Well, I wanted it to be on one hand touching but also uplifting, which is what today is about. It was almost like a hit of Cher: You have your light moments and your dark moments.
How long have you been in recovery?
Well, I'm a firm believer in the anonymous bit. It doesn’t really matter how long you've been sober or how you got there. This event is about supporting health.
You've been writing your opera. What can we expect from it?
It's being presented in July 2009 in Manchester, England. It's a big fashion spectacle with a high soprano role. It's called Prima Donna, and it's about a day in the life of an opera singer.
That's very meta.
Yeah, it is.
When Out compiled its list of the 100 Greatest, Gayest Albums of All Time, you submitted your top 10 choices and selected an album by opera singer Maria Callas as your number one pick. Why?
On all fronts -- whether classical or pop -- she is considered one of the greatest singers of all time. She encapsulates the drama and emotion it takes to be gay, but she remained positive and hopeful, which is part of being gay too. She is a real warrior.
Are you working on a new album now as well?
Well, I won't go into detail about it, but I'm always writing songs, especially with the political shift we're experiencing now. I have a lot of inspiration.
What did you think of the presidential debate Friday night?
The poor candidates are debating every day, so I understand that nothing massive happened. I'm an Obama supporter, and I think he held his own. He expressed himself as open, hopeful, and negotiable to the world. He did a good job.
-- JASON LAMPHIER
What an incredible way to end a remarkable event for 5,000 people! When Rufus sang "Hallelujah", it was perfect! Thank you NCADD and A&E for a historic event and celebration of recovery from alcoholism and addiction!
Posted by: Jim | September 30, 2008 at 08:14 PM