„It’s Time To Sing A Leonard Cohen – Song“ – Concert Review :

Rufus Wainwrightat Kulturzentrum Tollhaus, Karlsruhe, Germany

By Christof Graf

Concerts by the Canadian singer, composer and songwriter Rufus Wainwright are always also devotions, as one pays attention not only to his virtuoso piano playing, to his voluminous voice, but also to the words sung and said between the songs. Everything is of the highest quality: the songs, the Steinway grand piano, the light, the sound and the suit of Rufus Wainwright. Wainwright loves the staging of himself and this includes the first three songs („Agnus Die“, „Montauk“ and „Vibrate“) on the keys and the two following „Sanssouci“ and „He Loved (from Hadrian)“ on the strings. It quickly becomes clear once again how much Wainwright knows how to merge pop and classical music. This is probably also a reason why the curators of the „Zeltival“, – a cultural summer event of the Karlsruhe Tollhaus – have been courting a performance by the Canadian for years. In the 40th anniversary year of the Zeltival, the time had come, Wainwright agreed, says Sebastian Bau, spokesman for the Zeltival.

In the heat of a hot July summer day, the audience appreciates this. The concert hall is sold out and celebrates Wainwright for his melange of sometimes contrived, sometimes only theatrical drama. He knows how to reward the enthusiasm with an invitation to a journey through his musical hourvre. He presents classics such as „Gay Messiah“ as well as excerpts from his operas („Ready For Battle“). „I made my second opera. I love saying this. ’second opera‘,“ Wainwright is eloquent, sympathetic but also self-deprecatingly talkative. „It was all very artistic and a financial disaster. Which is pretty much my thing.“ Wainwright also introduces a new song titled „Old Song (Early Morning Madness)“. Then he picks up the guitar and shouts: „It’s Time To Sing A Leonard Cohen Song“ and interprets „So Long Marianne“ with such a powerful voice and vehemence as if he wanted to say that if Leonard Cohen hadn’t written this song, he would have composed it himself. What not everyone knows: Rufus Wainwright is the father of Leonard Cohen’s granddaughter Viva. Before his marriage to his husband, the German-American Jörn Weisbrodt, Rufus Wainwright was in a relationship with Cohen’s daughter Lorca Cohen and had a daughter Viva (13) with Lorca.

After the Cohen tribute follows „Poses“, the title song of his second studio album from 2001. This song stands for Wainwright’s art of wrapping metaphorical lyrics into sociable melodies. „Cigarettes and Chocolate Milk“ is a second song from the „Poses“ album and the last one before the encore. Especially with these two songs it becomes clear that Rufus Wainwright likes to write music for the big stage: deep, dynamic and imposing.

The first encore is „Going To A Town“, where he sings „I’m so tired of you America“ and points to the upcoming election campaign scenario in the fall of 2024 in the United States. This is followed by a second Leonard Cohen cover: „Hallelujah“. He has already performed this in several flash mob versions and at the Karlsruhe Zeltival 2024 he also knows how to animate his audience to listen reverently and at the same time sing along enthusiastically. His full beard has given way to a gray sideburn, but his elegant appearance has remained. His presence is immense even without a backing band or orchestra. Rufus Wainwright loves dramatic theatricality with depth and chic and intones a cover of Jean Renoir with „La Complainte De La Butte“ as the last song in the tradition of his usual noble, subtle, impressive way. Da Capo, Rufus Wainwright.

Setlist at Kulturzentrum Tollhaus, Karlsruhe, Germany, 11th of July 2024

1. Agnus Dei
2. Montauk
3. Vibrate
4. Sanssouci
5. He Loved (from Hadrian)
6. Peaceful Afternoon
7. The Art Teacher
8. Old Song / Early Morning Madness
9. Gay Messiah
10. Ready for Battle (from Opening Night)
11. So Long, Marianne (Leonard Cohen cover)
12. Poses
13. Dinner at Eight
14. Cigarettes and Chocolate Milk
15. Encore:
16. Going to a Town

Encore:

17. Hallelujah (Leonard Cohen cover)
18. La complainte de la butte (Jean Renoir cover)