"a visual symphonic concert"

Rufus Wainwright has been an opera lover since childhood, insisting that his sister Martha and their family re-enact scenes from Puccini’s Tosca at home. It was not until 2009 that his first opera, Prima Donna, was produced. Hadrian followed in 2018, which you can now discover in an hour-long symphonic and visual version.

The first part of the concert is devoted to an abridged version of Hadrian, an opera in 4 acts by Rufus Wainwright and Daniel MacIvor with visual projections by Robert Mapplethorpe. This version includes scenes from the first three acts of the opera. On stage, the Brussels Philharmonic supports 5 soloists - including Davone Tines in the title role - who will sing in front of a large projection screen.

In the second half of the concert, Rufus himself will be singing some of his orchestrated songs, as well as pieces with the artists from the first half.