Rufus Wainwright

Affectionately referred to by Elton John as "the greatest songwriter on the planet" and praised by the New York Times for his "genuine originality", Grammy nominee Rufus Wainwright has established himself as one of the great male vocalists and songwriters of his generation.

He is the son of folk singers Loudon Wainwright III and Kate McGarrigle, and brother of Martha Wainwright, but Rufus has achieved his success by carving out his own singular sound in the worlds of rock, opera, theater, dance and film.
Wainwright has received Juno Awards for Best Alternative Album in 1999 and 2002 for Rufus Wainwright and Poses, respectively, and nominations for his albums Want Two (2005) and Release the Stars (2008). He was nominated for Songwriter of the Year in 2008 for his Release the Stars album. He also composed the original music for choreographer Stephen Petronio's work BLOOM which has toured across the country. In addition to Rufus' musical pursuits, he has also made his mark onscreen. He has acted in Academy Award winner director Deny Arcand's film, LÕAge des Tenebres (2007), the Merchant Ivory film Heights (2005), and the major blockbuster The Aviator (2004) directed by Martin Scorsese. At age 14 he composed and sang a song in the film, Tommy Tricker and the Stamp Traveler, which earned him a nomination for a 1989 Genie Award.

Wainwright's catalogue includes eight albums and two DVDs to date, and he has appeared on numerous soundtracks and compilations, as well as collaborating with artists like Elton John, David Byrne, Rosanne Cash and Keane. His latest recording, All Days Are Nights: Songs For Lulu, was released in April 2010 to critical success with People Magazine dubbing the album Critic's Choice noting Wainwright "brings the album to a beautifully intimate level with just voice, piano and some deeply personal lyrics. Bravo." And Billboard Magazine thought Rufus' "solo piano accompaniment highlights his extremely adaptable voice, a single piano is all that's needed to show off his immense vocal talent." Rufus is currently putting the finishing touches on a pop record produced by Mark Ronson titled Out Of The Game, out internationally April 23rd 2012 and stateside May 8th 2012.

Venue: The Forum, Bath.

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