For those of us who grew up with Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness as the soundtrack to our adolescence, its arrival this November on the Lyric Opera of Chicago stage doesn’t feel like a stretch, it feels like a full-circle moment. Thirty years later, the sprawling double album that always sounded like a symphony finally gets the scale and setting to match.
Tickets go on sale Friday, April 11, at 10 a.m. CT for A Night of Mellon Collie and Infinite Sadness, the world-premiere production created by Billy Corgan in partnership with Lyric Opera of Chicago. The performance will transform the Smashing Pumpkins’ landmark double album into a genre-blurring immersive experience blending rock, opera, and performance art in honor of album’s 30th anniversary. And with just seven performances Nov. 21–30, 2025, you’ll need to act quickly to snag tickets for this unique fusion of alternative rock and full-scale opera.
“It’s like a dream come true,” Corgan says in a video shared by Lyric. “To bring this work to this esteemed Opera House — it’s got such a local tie to it. It feels so deep to me.”
The project is personal for Corgan — not just because it’s his music, but because it’s rooted in home.
“Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness was written in Chicago, in many ways, for Chicago,” Corgan says in a video shared by Lyric. “One of the most famous songs is talking about the lake … We recorded most of the record about a mile away from where we sit right now.”
A New Take on a Defining Album
Corgan has teamed up with conductor James Lowe to determine which of the album’s 28 tracks best lend themselves to full orchestration.
“The versions that most people would be familiar with are the versions that the band did,” Corgan says. “But as the writer, I know there’s other ways to do this music. So the idea here is to create an interpretive effect that’s a single standalone event — you have to see this if you want to experience the album in a completely different way.”
For fans who know the album by heart, it’s an unprecedented chance to hear these songs swell with new emotion, scale, and spectacle, while first-timers might be surprised at just how orchestral a rock album can feel.
“Most people may not realize it, but I did most of the string arrangements on the Smashing Pumpkins records,” Corgan says. “So the idea of enhancing that with full chorale, full orchestra … my mind just explodes with the possibilities, because it was never written for orchestral work. It was always written in lieu of the band.”
From Alt Rock to Orchestral — Without Losing the Pulse
“I don’t want that vibe of like the orchestra trying to kind of do the rock thing, or like, let’s all wear concert T-shirts or something,” Corgan said in a video posted to Instagram. “No, this is supposed to be voiced for the crowd that [Lyric] already has.”
But, Corgan also promises longtime listeners, “If you’re a fan of this music, and I know many of you are, you will not be disappointed. This is going to be the most sublime, beautiful expression of these songs.”
Corgan will perform in the show — but he won’t be the only voice. Four to five world-class soloists will join the Lyric Opera orchestra and chorus to bring his music to life in a way that’s both faithful and completely new.
“It doesn’t betray the original spirit of the album,” he says. “In fact, I think it’ll even enhance it.”
Elevating the visuals as well, costumes for the production are being designed by House of Gilles, the fashion house founded by Corgan’s wife, designer Chloé Mendel Corgan, and her father Gilles Mendel. No strangers to creating for the stage, House of Gilles has also designed costumes for the New York City Ballet.
It’s the latest artistic collaboration between the Corgans, who welcomed their third child in March. The couple also co-own Madame ZuZu’s, a tea shop and plant-based café in Highland Park that doubles as a gathering place for artists, musicians, and community events. In 2022, the couple notably hosted a livestream fundraiser at ZuZu’s for victims of the July 4 Highland Park shooting, raising money for the Highland Park Community Foundation’s Response Fund.
Their advocacy work also includes longtime support of PAWS Chicago.
Corgan’s Ever-Expanding Creative Universe
This fall’s collaboration with Lyric is far from Corgan’s only current artistic endeavor. This summer, Corgan will take the stage with a new project: Billy Corgan and The Machines of God. The group — featuring Smashing Pumpkins guitarist Kiki Wong, drummer Jake Hayden, and bassist Kid Tigrr (Jenna Fournier) — will launch the A Return to Zero tour on June 7, performing music from Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness, Machina/The Machines of God, Machina II/The Friends & Enemies of Modern Music, and Aghori Mhori Mei in a two-set, four-piece guitar format that mirrors the structure behind the original recordings.
And for those looking to hear from Corgan outside the music altogether, he’s recently launched The Magnificent Others, a podcast that digs deep into the minds of creators, artists, and cultural icons.
“It’s a long-form show where we explore with artists, musicians, anyone I truly admire,” he says. “We’re here to figure out what made them great and what keeps them great. Fresh stories, fresh perspectives. A very curious and one-of-a-kind exploration of these great minds.”
Guests include Tom Morello (who trades stories with Corgan about their Chicago upbringings and just so happens to be bringing his own brand of punk, metal and hip-hop to the nearby Goodman Theatre stage this fall), Gene Simmons, Pat Benatar and Neil Giraldo, Richie Sambora, Diane Warren, and Howie Mandel — with more to come.
How to See A Night of Mellon Collie and Infinite Sadness
For Corgan, A Night of Mellon Collie and Infinite Sadness is a culmination — not just of an album, but of a relationship with a city that has shaped him since the beginning.
“Well, as we say in Chicago, the Lyric brings a little class to this whole operation,” he says with a smile.
“So to not only receive the stamp of approval from that world, but to bring the best arrangers, the best soloists, the choir here and to hear your music at the highest level of achievement — that’s mind blowing to an alternative musician.”
Tickets for A Night of Mellon Collie and Infinite Sadness start at $59 and go on sale Friday, April 11, at 10 a.m. CT at lyricopera.org/melloncollie. Advance account setup is highly encouraged at lyricopera.org/account, and sales will be capped at nine tickets per order. All performances take place at 7:30 p.m. at Lyric Opera House, 20 N. Wacker Drive, Chicago.
The show runs just seven nights: November 21, 22, 25, 26, 28, 29, and 30. Digital tickets will be distributed at least 48 hours prior to each performance.
How to Help:
Lyric Opera of Chicago is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization committed to serving the community through the presentation of opera. Its mission includes advancing artistic excellence, expanding access to both longstanding and new audiences, and engaging diverse communities through educational and outreach initiatives. Your support will help Lyric continue to grow its role as a Chicago cultural institution of global significance.
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Brooke McDonald is the editor in chief of Better Magazine. She regularly reports on entertainment, theme parks, and travel and her work has appeared in Insider, The Points Guy, Parents, TravelPulse, Yahoo, and more. Her favorite nonprofits to support include SeaLegacy and the Vitalogy Foundation Follow her on Instagram @brookegmcdonald, Threads @brookegmcdonald, and X @BrookeGMcDonald.
