Billy Corgan is celebrating the 30th anniversary of The Smashing Pumpkins’ classic 1995 album, Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness, by teaming up with Lyric Opera of Chicago for a run of concerts set to take place in the fall in the singer-guitarist’s hometown.
“A Night of Mellon Collie and Infinite Sadness” will be staged across seven nights (November 21st, 22nd, 25th, 26th, 28th, 29th, and 30th) at Lyric Opera of Chicago. The performances will re-imagine the album “for an immersive original sonic and visual experience that blurs the boundaries of opera, rock, and performance art.”
Tickets, which start at $49, go on sale to the general public on April 11th at 10 a.m. at the Lyric Opera of Chicago website, but are currently available to subscribers of the opera house’s 2025/2026 season package.
Corgan stated, “It is thrilling to collaborate with Lyric head John Mangum, my musical partner James Lowe, and all of the artists at Lyric in reimagining this very special and historic album, and to discover how Lyric’s full operatic treatment is helping me experience my own compositions in powerful new ways. Opera and rock both tell stories of heightened emotions, and I am excited for both fans of my music and traditional opera fans to hear some truly inspired work; for the balance here is to honor both traditions in a magisterial way.”
John Mangum, General Director, President & CEO of Lyric Opera of Chicago, added, “Next season is filled with a tremendous range of lavish and powerful opera productions that we are excited to share with our audiences. I’m just as excited about the special performances like ‘A Night of Mellon Collie and Infinite Sadness’ that open the aperture and expand the definition of opera and what an American opera company can be. The season clearly illustrates how this company continues to push the art form forward and create new work that can only happen in Chicago.”
Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness is the Pumpkins’ third studio album. The double-LP has been certified Diamond by the RIAA on the strength of such classics as “Tonight, Tonight,” “Bullet with Butterfly Wings,” and “1979,” among others.
Meanwhile, Corgan recently started his own podcast, The Magnificent Others, featuring guests such as Gene Simmons, Sharon Osbourne, Wolfgang Van Halen, Tom Morello, and more. He’ll embark on a UK/European tour with The Smashing Pumpkins this summer (tickets available here).
Content shared from consequence.net.