Rufus Wainwright creates music that is theatrical, emotional and operatic. Listening to his albums can feel like experiencing a Shakespearean play, with wit, tragedy and heartbreak all side by side. And in a career spanning more than two decades, he has delivered on the promise of his pedigree — his parents are Loudon Wainwright III and the late folk singer Kate McGarrigle — releasing seven studio albums, channeling Judy Garland on a tour of her work, writing an opera and collecting a few awards along the way.
Wainwright is currently on a world tour to showcase his latest release, a career retrospective called Vibrate: The Best of Rufus Wainwright. He stopped by NPR's studios in Washington, D.C. to chat with guest host Wade Goodwyn and perform a few of his hits. Hear their conversation, and the music, at the audio link.
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