Scissor Sisters’ Jake Shears will make his BBC Proms debut by joining musician Rufus Wainwright for a duet of his song Old Whore’s Diet.
The pair will perform the track on stage at the Royal Albert Hall at 10.15pm on Tuesday September 5 alongside the BBC Concert Orchestra, which will be led by conductor Sarah Hix.
Singer-songwriter and composer Wainwright will perform two concerts on the same night, titled the Want Symphonic, which will feature pieces from his 2003 album Want One and 2004’s Want Two.
Shears said: “It’s hard to believe we’ve never properly sung together, but I can finally say we are.
“I am joining my dear friend Rufus Wainwright at this year’s BBC Proms at the incredible Royal Albert Hall for a duet we can’t wait to share with you all.”
Marking 20 years since the release of the lauded Want One album, the Proms performance will be the world premiere of the two concerts, with new orchestral arrangements created especially for the event.
Want One draws on an array of genres including opera, cabaret, chanson and jazz.
Wainwright said: “I have known Jake for my entire career. He actually gave me the Scissor Sisters’ tape with some of their early demos and asked me for advice and then they became bigger than anything I had ever heard of.
“I have always admired Jake for his musical vision and I am so excited that we finally get the chance to properly sing together and sing a song of mine that I think we both can relate to very well.”
The Want Symphonic Tour is underway and I can't wait to see you all on September 5th in London ✨
Grab your Want One and Want Two remastered vinyls at an upcoming Want Symphonic show or check https://t.co/aW5BDXcjtW for exclusive color variants! Tickets are available now at… pic.twitter.com/YLOuJL0J7W
— Rufus Wainwright (@rufuswainwright) August 29, 2023
The Proms season so far this year has seen a vast array of performances from large-scale symphonic and choral work to intimate chamber concerts and Proms debuts.
Various genres have also been explored, including northern soul, fado, Bollywood and jazz, while a number of acclaimed artists, such as Self Esteem and Jon Hopkins, have featured.
Last week, the Proms celebrated the 50-year anniversary of Stevie Wonder’s hit album Innervisions with surprise performances from Lianne La Havas, Laura Mvula and Shelea alongside Cory Henry and conductor Jules Buckley and his orchestra.
The Prom featuring Jake Shears and Rufus Wainwright will be live on BBC Radio 3 and available on BBC Sounds for a month after.