Billy Corgan, best known as the driving force behind Smashing Pumpkins, is once again pushing creative boundaries—this time, with the Lyric Opera of Chicago. To mark the 30th anniversary of Mellon Collie And The Infinite Sadness, Corgan is reimagining his seminal 1995 album in an ambitious new production, A Night Of Mellon Collie And Infinite Sadness.
Blurring the lines between rock, opera, and performance art, the production will feature Corgan alongside special guest artists and the full power of the Lyric Opera of Chicago Orchestra and Chorus. The event promises a unique experience for longtime Smashing Pumpkins fans and opera enthusiasts alike, offering a fresh take on an album that helped define an era.
“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,” says Corgan. “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.”
The production, running for seven nights only from November 21–30, 2025, will feature newly commissioned arrangements and orchestrations by Corgan and Lowe, who will also conduct. Costume design is being handled by House of Gilles, with contributions from Gilles and Chloé Mendel Corgan.
For the Lyric Opera of Chicago, this event represents a bold step toward expanding the scope of what opera can be. “Next season is filled with a tremendous range of lavish and powerful opera productions that we are excited to share with our audiences,” says Mangum. “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.”
With unforgettable tracks like “Tonight, Tonight”, “Bullet With Butterfly Wings”, and “1979”, Mellon Collie And The Infinite Sadness became a defining alternative rock album. Now, three decades later, Corgan is giving it new life on an unexpected stage.
Tickets for A Night Of Mellon Collie And Infinite Sadness go on sale to the general public on Friday, April 11, at 10:00 a.m. via this location. Lyric subscribers can secure seats now as part of a subscription package.
