She was addicted to pills, married many times, sang her wrung heart out, died tragically and even, arguably, bequeathed us, via her most famous film role as Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz, the rainbow flag. It is no surprise then that Wainwright, one of music’s best known gay men, might want to lionise Judy Garland, the ultimate gay icon. One initially wondered if he would tip this exercise – a recreation of Garland’s legendary 1961 concert at Carnegie Hall – into camp joke territory and play it, and her, for laughs. But no. This is a beautiful, respectful performance, supported by a 36-piece orchestra. Wainwright and the musical director and conductor Stephen Oremus reimagine Garland’s standards with vivid originality. Come Rain or Come Shine is sung at a gallop, Wainwright’s voice insistently arch. Went the Strings of My Heart is faster still, with couplets tripping tipsily on to one another.

When Wainwright slows down and his emotions unfurl, the goosebumps flare – The Man That Got Away is sung with a langorous rage and sadness. Gays used to co opt divas such as Garland because they sang the emotions and feelings that gays could not express publicly; here is a gay man, in a different era, singing openly about lost love. Between songs, Wainwright is his irreverent self. He jokes that he feels like Garland’s secretary. He gees the orchestra along when he thinks that they are playing too slowly. His mother Kate McGarrigle accompanies him on Over the Rainbow, which inevitably gets one of the biggest cheers, especially after McGarrigle says she feels like Céline Dion – there’s playing your crowd.

Garland’s half-sister, Lorna Luft, proves a gusty duet partner in After You’ve Gone, while Wainwright’s sister Martha gives a thrilling performance of Stormy Weather, each phrase quivering with emotion, her near-slur spookily close to Garland’s. Wainwright concludes with a pizzazzy Get Happy, which confirms that while this has been an homage, he has also made each song his own – and taken a commanding next step on the yellow brick road to iconhood himself.

Editor's choice

• The 100 Best Films of 2009
• The 100 Worst Movies of 2009
• The 100 Best Films of the Decade