Rufus Wainwright to sing ‘Argentina’ at Tim Rice tribute show
By Josh Haggis
Rufus Wainwright is to sing Don’t Cry for Me, Argentina at the Royal Festival Hall in London next month (July).
The singer will perform the much-loved ballad at Tim Rice – A Life In Song, a special show celebrating the life and works of the Oscar-winning British lyricist and author.
Don’t Cry For Me, Argentina was written by Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber for their musical Evita – one of British musical theatre’s most popular works.
Rice personally invited Wainwright to perform the song at the concert on July 8, explaining that he wanted an original take on the classic.
“For nearly 40 years I’ve heard it sung by the leading ladies of Broadway and the West End and it was time for a new approach,”he said. “I wanted an original, contemporary take on Argentina – something totally unexpected. Rufus has done some wonderful interpretations of Broadway standards, so it seems strange that no one has ever asked him to do it before.”
Meanwhile, Wainwright said of performing the song: “What healthy growing gay boy doesn’t fantasize about singing a ballad atop a baroque balcony, dressed in Dior, in front of thousands of cheering plebeians? Don’t Cry For Me, Argentina is truly the ultimate.”
Other performers at the show will include Gemma Arterton and Tim Minchin, who will sing Heaven on Their Minds from Jesus Christ Superstar, plus Downton Abbey’s Julian Ovenden and comedian Rob Brydon.
Tickets for the show are available here – and it will be shown on BBC Two later in the year.
More musical news:
‘Mrs Henderson Presents’ to become West End musical
‘X Factor’s Lloyd Daniels joins new ‘Joseph’ UK tour