The founder, vocalist, and leader of The Smashing Pumpkins, Billy Corgan, will reinterpret the iconic album Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness on a European tour, with a stop on Friday, September 11 at the Palacio Vistalegre in Madrid.
On the occasion of the 30th anniversary of its release, the singer revisits one of the most influential albums in the history of alternative rock. Corgan’s powerful compositions, as well as his unmistakable voice and innovative melodies, shaped this revolutionary work.
The proposal fuses rock, opera, orchestra, and choir in a completely renewed audiovisual experience, which was presented in a critically acclaimed series of seven performances last year at the Lyric Opera of Chicago. The monumental double album takes on new musical dimensions thanks to the arrangements and orchestrations created by James Lowe and Billy Corgan himself. “The success of translating Mellon Collie into operatic and classical format has been one of the most satisfying experiences of my life,” Corgan commented.
With an approximate duration of two hours, including an intermission, the show reaches some of its most memorable moments with the emotional performance of 1979 by Billy Corgan and the moving orchestral version of Tonight, Tonight. The costumes were designed by House of Gilles, the firm led by his wife, Chloé Mendel Corgan, and Gilles Mendel. Tickets for the Madrid show will be available this Thursday, May 14 at 11:00 on mitaquilla.com, palaciovistalegre.com, entradas.com, and El Corte Inglés.
Corgan redefined alternative rock
William Patrick Corgan (Chicago, 59 years old), better known as Billy Corgan, is an artist and visionary who redefined the boundaries of alternative rock as founder and leader of the Grammy-winning band The Smashing Pumpkins — in addition to developing a notable solo career. Throughout his career, he has collaborated with artists such as Cheap Trick, Ray Davies, New Order, and Scorpions, and has participated in film soundtracks such as Ransom, Stigmata, and Spun.
In 2004, Corgan published his first book of poetry, Blinking with Fists, and recently launched the podcast The Magnificent Others. Besides his musical facet, he is owner and president of the National Wrestling Alliance, the oldest professional wrestling organization in the world, and founder of Madame Zuzu’s, a tea house and performance space. He also shares consulting interests in the haute couture firm House of Gilles, led by his wife, Chloé Mendel Corgan.
