Pete Townshend Bringing 'Classic Quadrophenia' To Southland

LOS ANGELES, CA — The Who's Pete Townshend will bring Classic Quadrophenia to U.S. audiences this September with four special performances featuring Townshend, Billy Idol, and acclaimed tenor Alfie Boe, it was announced Tuesday.

Townshend has blended The Who's album Quadrophenia with orchestral accompaniment. The work premiered at the Royal Albert Hall in London and will now be staged in Lenox, Massachusetts, New York City and Los Angeles.

The performance in Lenox will involve the Boston Pops Orchestra and conductor Keith Lockhart. The New York and Los Angeles performances will be led by conductor Robert Ziegler. The L.A show will support Teen Cancer America, with a portion of proceeds going to the charity.

The schedule calls for the performances to take place at Tanglewood in Lennox on Sept. 2, the Metropolitan Opera House in New York on Sept. 9 and 10, and the Greek Theatre in Los Angeles on Sept. 16.

"I'm thrilled to be bringing Classic Quadrophenia stateside through the month of September," Townshend said. "Melding the contrasting sounds of Quadrophenia with a symphony has been a really unique and powerful way to reach a wide audience of classical and pop music lovers alike. I couldn't be more excited to see it continue in the U.S."

The Who's rock opera Quadrophenia was originally released as a double album in 1973. It later became a feature film and theatrical production.

— City News Service, photo credit: Ron Baker/Flickr