Rufus Wainwright to Headline The Current Sessions in April

Feb 4, 2013

89.3 The Current presents singer-songwriter Rufus Wainwright in concert on Saturday, April 13, at 8 p.m. at the Fitzgerald Theater. The third concert in The Current Sessions series, Wainwright will play a two hour show of solo piano tunes--new and old--and share stories in an up-close-and-personal setting. 89.3 The Current's Mary Lucia will host the show, which is sponsored in part by the City of St. Paul Cultural STAR Grant.

Affectionately referred to by Elton John as "the greatest songwriter on the planet" and praised by The New York Times for his "genuine originality," Wainwright has established himself as one of the great male vocalists and songwriters of his generation.

A Grammy Award nominee, he is the son of folk singers Loudon Wainwright III and Kate McGarrigle-- and brother of Martha Wainwright-- but Rufus has achieved his success by carving out his own singular sound in the worlds of rock, opera, theater, dance and film. Wainwright has received Juno Awards for Best Alternative Album in 1999 and 2002 for Rufus Wainwright and Poses, respectively, and nominations for his albums Want Two (2005) and Release the Stars (2008). He was nominated for Songwriter of the Year in 2008 for his Release the Stars album.

The Current Sessions at the Fitz offers a compelling opportunity for established, nationally known recording artists and top Minnesota talent to visit St. Paul. Minnesota Public Radio's Fitzgerald Theater offers a unique performance setting in the city - more intimate than a stadium, larger than a club. Through creative and collaborative production with The Current and the Fitzgerald Theater, artists engage with fans and new listeners, and their performances provide further enrichment to Minnesotans' artistic experiences. Rufus Wainwright's performance is sponsored in part by the City of St. Paul Cultural STAR Program that also supported the series' first show with Conor Oberst. The series' second show, Low with members of Trampled by Turtles, is supported in part by the Legacy Amendment or Arts and Cultural Heritage.

TICKETS: Tickets go on sale to MPR members on Tuesday, Feb. 5, at noon and to the general public on Friday, Feb. 8, at noon. Tickets are $49 / $39 and can be purchased by calling the MPR box office at 651-290-1200 during business hours (noon - 5 p.m., Tuesday to Friday).

WHEN: Saturday, April 13, 8 p.m.

WHERE: The Fitzgerald Theater, 10 E. Exchange St., St. Paul