All Days Are Nights: Songs for Lulu

Released in 2010, 'All Days Are Nights: Songs for Lulu' represents the most significant sonic departure in Rufus Wainwright's career. Following the death of his mother, folk legend Kate McGarrigle, Wainwright abandoned the lush, maximalist production of 'Release the Stars' for a strictly 'piano and voice' format. The album's title references Shakespeare's Sonnet 43 and the character Lulu from Alban Berg's opera, signaling a deep dive into high-art tragedy. The record features nine original compositions and three sonnets set to music. Produced by Wainwright with Pierre Marchand, the sonic profile is bone-dry and intimate, highlighting the technical difficulty of the piano arrangements which often border on modern classical. Critics noted the album's 'unflinching' nature, particularly on the track 'Martha,' which addresses family tensions with startling transparency. It stands as a bridge between his pop career and his subsequent ventures into formal opera composition.