NY Bloger

Singer and songwriter Rufus Wainwright’s first opera ‘Prima Donna’ is set to premiere in the UK this July. After it was turned away from the Metropolitan Opera in New York, Rufus has secured a spot at the Manchester’s Palace Theatre as part of the Manchester International Festival. The opera was rejected at the Met because the singer refused to change the language from French to English. When asked to comment about the change of venues, Rufus said “When I started writing the opera it was in French and it takes place in Paris,” said the classical songbird of the venue swap. It made sense – I was brought up in Montreal and I can speak French. The music started to reflect the language. But the Met wanted to commission an American work.”