Meryl Streep to perform in world premiere of Rufus Wainwright’s Dream Requiem in Paris

Hollywood icon Meryl Streep will lend her voice to Dream Requiem, a musical creation by Rufus Wainwright premiering on 14 June in Paris.

“I am more than excited and grateful to announce that Meryl Streep will be performing in the world premiere of my Dream Requiem,” Canadian-American singer-songwriter Wainwright wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter.

Three-time Oscar-winning actress Streep is slated to serve as a narrator in Dream Requiem at the Radio France auditorium, with the event broadcast live on France Musique and Arte Concert.

The American actress, who recently received an honorary Palme d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival, will recite Byron's 1816 poem "Darkness".

“To have her be part of the world creation of the Dream Requiem is an honour beyond anything I could have hoped for,” Wainwright continued on X.

According to a press release on ‘Dream Requiem’, the show was born of “two dramatic experiences that took place in 2020: the Covid-19 pandemic and the California fires”. Verdi's ‘Requiem’ was also a key inspiration for Wainwright, who has previously incorporated opera into his pop music and has even written two operas, ‘Prima donna’ and ‘Hadrian’.

The show will be the latest in Wainwright’s string of collaborations, which have included the likes of Elton John, Miley Cyrus, Boy George and Sting.