Rufus Wainwright’s concert at Helsinki Festival in the Huvila tent on August 20 was an evening when big emotions did not require a big orchestra. Wainwright stepped onto the sold-out tent’s stage alone, accompanied only by piano, guitar, and an unusually expressive voice.
Already the opening song Montauk set a fitting mood for the evening. In Wainwright’s music, classical pomp, pop’s infectiousness, and chanson-like drama come together. This Love Affair, Out of the Game, and Barcelona smoothly shifted the evening from mood to mood.
Particularly impressive was the artist’s way of building the concert on stories, humor, and music. Alongside the more serious moments, the self-irony typical of the artist emerged, making him approachable. Alone on stage, he never felt lonely – the piano and guitar formed a large enough orchestra.
The evening’s most sensitive moments were The Art Teacher, Old Song, and Early Morning Madness. Wainwright’s voice still has the same dramatic strength that makes his interpretations recognizable. At the same time, there is frailty and crack, highlighted especially in the quieter passages.
Towards the end of the concert, the atmosphere rose again. Gay Messiah, Raining in Athens, Poses, and Cigarettes and Chocolate Milk reminded us of how broad and versatile Wainwright’s output is. The evening’s repertoire also featured Moulin Rouge’s well-known La complainte de la butte.
The first encore began with Going to a Town, after which Wainwright took on Leonard Cohen’s Hallelujah. The song is personally significant for the artist and his relationship to it is exceptional, since his own daughter’s mother is Leonard Cohen’s daughter.
Finally, Candles was heard, leaving a calm and somewhat melancholic feeling for the evening. Wainwright managed to make a large repertoire an intimate concert experience where the focus was on the essentials: compositions, lyrics, and interpretations.
Rufus Wainwright left Huvila’s audience with the memory of a concert where a spectacular stage show or a large band was not needed. A voice, a piano, and a guitar were enough.
