Rufus Wainwright: Prima Donna News + The Art Teacher (Live)

I really shouldn't have been surprised by the news that singer/songwriter Rufus Wainwright had written and composed his very own Opera, because his music (despite being labelled a brand of folk/pop) has always slightly bordered on classical. But still I found myself quite impressed this evening as I tuned in to watch his documentary "Prima Donna: The Story Of An Opera" which chronicled his journey from conception to the opening night in Manchester, England.

After performing Prima Donna in Manchester he moved his production to the London stage, and now the production has returned to his native land and is being presented as part of Toronto's Luminato Festival.

The Opera is about a day in the life of an aging opera singer, anxiously preparing for her comeback in 1970s Paris, who falls in love with a journalist. Watch the interview above to get the scoop from Rufus, and below I have included one of my favorite Rufus songs (among many) just because I think his music is mesmerizing.