It's some ways, it's come full circle. In the 1960s, the Who applied opera and orchestral form to rock music. Now the Who's Pete Townshend is putting rock music back into orchestral and opera form.
In the 1960s, the Who defined the rock opera with Tommy. In 1973, they continued the idea when the Who's Pete Townshend wrote and the band subsequently recorded and released Quadrophenia.
Townshend has now collaborated with composer Rachel Fuller, tenor Alfie Boe, the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and others to create a symphonic version of Quadrophenia, arranged for orchestra, opera singer and choir. The resulting album is called Classic Quadrophenia, released in the U.S. on Tuesday, June 9.
The project is part of Townshend's plan to have all his work arranged for orchestra as sheet music, and he hopes the new work will become a regular part of the orchestral repertoire and perhaps boost attendance at classical concerts. "A lot of major symphony orchestras are in trouble because their audience is getting old and the younger audiences prefer softer stuff, such as film soundtrack music," Townshend says. "I think that Quadrophenia would reinvigorate their audiences and bring in people who might not otherwise go to see a symphony orchestra perform without lights and fireworks and a movie screen."
Classic Quadrophenia will have its world premiere at the Royal Albert Hall in London on July 5, 2015, performed by the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and London Oriana Choir along with Pete Townsend, Alfie Boe, Billy Idol and special guests.
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