Billy Corgan is giving Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness an operatic twist. To mark 30 years since The Smashing Pumpkins’ 1995 double album, he’s teaming up with Lyric Opera of Chicago for a series of performances in November 2025.
Titled A Night of Mellon Collie and Infinite Sadness, the shows will blend rock and opera in a theatrical reimagining of the album. The performances are set for November 21, 22, 25, 26, 28, 29, and 30 at Lyric Opera of Chicago. Tickets start at $49 USD and go on sale April 11.
For Corgan, the collaboration is about exploring new territory. “Opera and rock both deal with heightened emotions,” he said. “This is an opportunity to experience the album in a completely different way.”
Lyric Opera of Chicago’s General Director, John Mangum, called the project an example of the company’s push to challenge traditional expectations. “This season is about broadening what opera can be, and Mellon Collie is a perfect fit for that.”
Released in 1995, Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness cemented The Smashing Pumpkins’ status as one of the defining bands of the ’90s. With tracks like ‘Tonight, Tonight,’ ‘Bullet with Butterfly Wings,’ and ‘1979,’ the album became a commercial and critical success. It later even earned them a Diamond certification.
Beyond the opera project, Corgan has been keeping himself very busy. He recently launched a podcast called The Magnificent Others. It has featured guests like Gene Simmons, Sharon Osbourne, Wolfgang Van Halen, and Tom Morello. The Smashing Pumpkins will also head to the UK and Europe for a tour later this year.
Three decades later, Mellon Collie is still in the process evolving. Whether this operatic adaptation is a stroke of genius or just another ambitious experiment, Corgan is once again pushing his music into new territory.
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