Whining and Wining

So, I think that it really doesn't get any better than sitting down with a glass of sauvignon and listening to Rufus Wainwright. I love dry wines, and I love Rufus' whiney voice. I used to not enjoy the latter, but he has grown on me during the past two years that I've been introduced to his music.

Wainwright himself loves opera, so it is no coincidence that his music reflects its influence. It has been said that his "Greek Song" is directly drawn from Weber's Der Freischutz, but I also think it possesses striking parallels to Tutto Tace ("The Cherry Duet") in Mascagni's L'Amico Fritz.

I'm not the only classical-playing wild child who likes him. It was in fact my other classical nerd friends who introduced me to him. Alex Ross, der Grand Pumba of classical music critics, likes his music too!

Go ahead, have a listen and a sippin'.