For several glorious years after the Ramones' 1976 "Blitzkrieg Bop," the do-it-yourself ethos of punk rock went hand-in-hand with the self-aware, exploratory artistry of New Wave artists such as Talking Heads. All kinds of exciting music seemed possible, and in endless supply.

Nevertheless, the arrival of otherworldly Klaus Nomi, steeped in German classical opera, on the New York City club scene at the end of the 1970s caught many trend-spotters by surprise.

Documentary filmmaker Andrew Horn's compassionate and critically astute "The Nomi Song" includes interviews with several people who knew Nomi well, including an aunt from his German hometown and associates who regretfully admit abandoning him as he lay dying of AIDS complications in 1983. Their recollections draw a portrait of a committed performance-artist-turned-recording-star who stirred fans with his opera-inflected pop.

Movie review

Showtimes and trailer

"The Nomi Song," a documentary with Klaus Nomi. Written and directed by Andrew Horn. 96 minutes. Not rated; for mature audiences. Northwest Film Forum, through Thursday.

Born Klaus Sperber, Nomi attended a Berlin music conservatory and sang arias in drag at one of that city's gay clubs. Moving to New York, the shy Sperber rode a wave of post-Warhol Factory, self-invented stardom, disappearing behind Nomi's androgynous, alienlike costuming and makeup.

Not surprisingly, a lot of footage of Nomi exists, and much is here, including his debut at a New Wave variety show, as well as clips from later television appearances.

Thanks to it all, "The Nomi Song" offers a glimpse of the wit, tragedy and weird authenticity Nomi brought to passionate arias, original songs and his falsetto-driven cover of Lou Christie's "Lightning Strikes." His memorable appearance with David Bowie on a 1979 "Saturday Night Live" show is also included.

Nomi wasn't a major artist — his music was too narrow in appeal. But that's not really the point of this film, which shows how Nomi, in an accident of historical timing, seemed to be waiting for the experimental permissiveness of New Wave to grab his moment.

Tom Keogh: tomwkeogh@yahoo.com