Dear Judy
Singer Rufus Wainwright celebrates the 50th anniversary of what he calls 'the greatest night in show business history' - Judy Garland's legendary Carnegie Hall concert.
1/1
Join Rufus Wainwright to celebrate the 50th anniversary of "the greatest night in show business history" - Judy Garland's legendary concert at Carnegie Hall on 23 April 1961.
An ardent fan, who recreated the Carnegie Hall setlist in his Rufus Does Judy show, Wainwright leads us on a beautifully evocative journey, charting the story of the event and its implications for one of the best-loved performers of all time.
Judy Garland lived a famously complicated life. Performing from the age of two, she was catapulted to international fame by The Wizard of Oz. Life would never be the same again. Every romance, success and stumble - professional and otherwise - was seized upon by the press and it was almost more than Garland could stand. Plagued by self-doubt, she couldn't recognise the talent that was plain for everyone else to see.
Suddenly, in January of 1960, the pressure was off. A severe illness led doctors to tell Judy that she'd come close to death and would never sing again. They were startled when she responded that she was "greatly relieved". For the first time in her life, she was about more than simply performance. For the first time, she had the opportunity to fall back in love with the extraordinary talent that she'd grown to resent.
Join Rufus and friends as they celebrate Judy and the "greatest night in showbusiness".
Last on
Broadcasts
- Tue 26 Jul 2011 22:00Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Radio 2
- Tue 27 Dec 2011 17:05Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Radio Scotland