The Who's 'Quadrophenia' To Become Met Opera Symphony Starring Billy Idol

UPPER WEST SIDE, NY — The Who's guitarist Pete Townshend is bringing the band's iconic rock opera "Quadrophenia" back on tour — with the new version more opera than rock.

Townshend collaborated with Britain's Royal Philharmonic Orchestra for the past three years to create "Classic Quadrophenia," a full symphony version of the 1973 rock album that featured in a cult movie that starred Sting, according to a press release. The orchestra will perform "Classic Quadrophenia" in the United States four times in September, twice at the Metropolitan Opera Hose in Lincoln Center (September 9 and 10), Rolling Stone reported.

It's currently unknown when tickets to the performance — which will also feature British tenor Alfie Boe, rock icon Billy Idol, actor Phil Daniels and conductor Robert Ziegler — will go on sale.

The idea for "Classic Quadrophenia" was conceived when Townshend began arranging all of his music for orchestra as sheet music for future generations, according to a press release.

"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 said in a press release. "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."

Check out a "Classic Quadrophenia" teaser below:

Photo by Blehgoaway via Wikimedia Commons