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Premiere of Rufus Wainwright's Prima Donna – A Symphonic Visual Concert and First Recording on Deutsche Grammophon

Sep. 01, 2015

Premiere of Rufus Wainwright's <em>Prima Donna – A Symphonic Visual Concert</em> and First Recording on Deutsche Grammophon

Rufus Wainwright joins the 2015 Athens Festival on September 15 for the world premiere of Prima Donna – A Symphonic Visual Concert, an hour length concert version of Wainwright’s acclaimed opera accompanied by multimedia design. The new Symphonic Visual Concert version, scored for two sopranos, tenor and orchestra, was co-commissioned by the Athens & Epidaurus Festival, the Gulbenkian Foundation, and the Hong Kong Arts Festival and includes a film directed by Francesco Vezzoli featuring artist Cindy Sherman. The second half of the event features performances by Wainwright himself of works from his acclaimed oeuvre as a songwriter with full orchestra accompaniment. The performance takes place at the Odeon of Herodes Atticus in Athens, and subsequent performances are scheduled at the Gulbenkian in Lisbon, Portugal on November 27, 2015 and the Hong Kong Festival on March 1, 2016.

Prima Donna tells the story of an opera singer at the end of her celebrated career as she reminisces and muses about what may come afterward. Wainwright explains that for years he had been searching for a suitable story:

[One] that wasn’t a saga involving a chorus and insane costumes…[Suddenly] a story fell into my lap, after watching an interview with Maria Callas. The opera is not about her, but it is about the persona of an opera star; it is the day in the life of an opera singer…the subtle shifts of a woman's heart; the grave consequences of little actions…

In conjunction with the premiere, Deutsche Grammophon releases the first commercial recording of the full opera Prima Donna on September 11 abroad and in the U.S., Canada and Mexico on October 2. The recording features soprano Janis Kelly in the title role, which she originated, alongside soprano Kathryn Guthrie, tenor Antonio Figueroa and baritone Richard Morrison with Jayce Ogren conducting the BBC Symphony Orchestra. 

For details on the performance and recording, visit greekfestival.gr and deutschegrammophon.com.

For more information on Rufus Wainwright, visit rufuswainwright.com and eamdc.com.

Rufus Wainwright
Prima Donna – A Symphonic Visual Concert (2015)
text (Fr) by Rufus Wainwright and Bernadette Colomine
for two sopranos, tenor and orchestra
3 (3.pic).2 (2.ca).3(2.Eb cl, 3.bcl).2.cbsn-2.2.2.btbn.1-timp.3/4perc-pno(cel).org(opt. keyboard).hp.str
60’

Prima Donna (2009)
an opera in two acts
libretto (Fr) by Rufus Wainwright and Bernadette Colomine
for two sopranos, tenor, baritone and actors
3(3.pic).2(2.ca).3(2.Ebcl, 3.bcl).2.cbsn-2.2.2.btbn.1-timp.3/4perc-hp.org.pno.cel-str
130' 

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