SINGER songwriter Rufus Wainwright surprised children at the end of their school’s art week.

The star spoke to pupils at Huddersfield Grammar School about his debut opera Prima Donna which premiered in Manchester.

Headteacher Janet Straughan said: “It was absolutely fantastic. He was so pleasant and easy-going and just a smashing chap.

“He spoke to them about his Prima Donna show and was really quite jokey with the kids.

“He answered questions about music and he sat down at the piano and sang Hallelujah for them.”

Rufus was staying at the five star Crow Hill Cottages in Marsden while he was working at the Manchester Music Festival.

While at the cottages he spoke to owner Eve Wood and she suggested he might like to go to the school to speak to the pupils.

Eve has two children at the grammar school and Rufus, 35, offered them free tickets to the show.

Eve, 47, said: “I thought it would be lovely for him to visit the school as part of arts week.

“I thought it would be great for the children to speak to someone who was both a celebrity in the pop world and versed in the classical.

“I asked him and his mum was here at the time and she was very enthusiastic and sister Martha was here at the same time too.”

Mum-of-three Eve said Rufus thought Marsden was ‘wonderful’.

She said: “He’s a very keen walker and was out on the moor and looking out onto the beautiful scenery.

“We often forget that Marsden is a little gem and people from abroad really do appreciate our lovely countryside.”

Canadian-American Rufus spoke to the children at the grammar school about his recent appearance on Friday Night With Jonathan Ross.

Afterwards, 15-year-old pupil Daisy Baldwin said: “It was amazing to meet Rufus, something I will not ever forget.”

The school presented the singer with a memento of his visit.

Rufus Wainwright’s Prima Donna opened at the Palace Theatre in Manchester last week.

The show centres on the story of fictional diva Régine Saint Laurent who is preparing to return to the operatic stage after six years’ absence and then falls in love with a journalist.

Instead of a New York opening, Prima Donna was debuted during the Manchester International Festival.