Genre Hopping: When Pop Goes Pavarotti

Damon Albarn - fanpix.net

We like to compartmentalize pop and rock stars. But what happens when true talent steps outside the box and dips its toes into uncharted waters?

Once such genre-jumper is Damon Albarn, who has thrown off the shackles of his Brit-pop band Blur. He has also cast aside the monkey suits and all-star cast of Gorillaz, all to unveil his latest project, Dr Dee: An English Opera.

Damon Albarn's Latest Muse

Doctor John Dee, Albarn's inspiration, is seen by him as a quintessentially English subject. The 16th century scientist, mathematician, magician and spy has already had Shakespeare base Prospero on him, and Dee also provided inspiration for Marlowe’s Faust and was the advisor to Queen Elizabeth I.

Albarn will even be stepping up to the mark and singing on stage. He plays himself in the opera, performing all new material, including the recently unveiled "Apple Carts."

Rufus Wainwright Takes Over the Royal Opera House

In the space of thirteen years, Rufus Wainwright has gone from Randy Newman comparisons to a Judy Garland tribute-delivering troubadour. Wainwright, like Albarn, is now settled on conceiving grand operas. His latest and long running project is Prima Donna, a spectacular libretto based on a day in the life of an aging opera singer.

And now Rufus is set to be the first solo artist to take up residency at the Royal Opera House. Over the course of five themed evenings, he has programmed events to include a rousing last night performance of Prima Donna .

All this activity is to promote the imminent release of House of Rufus, a collection of six studio albums, two live albums (one being a double album), four additional albums of previously unreleased material, and six DVDs.

Pete Townshend: Who He?

It has usually been rock operas that have tempted those with the more literary bend away from the simple structure of the three-minute pop song. Pete Townshend has spent much of his illustrious career trying to find a way out of the constraints of delivering yet another Who album and subsequent world tour.

He's managed the perfect marriage of Who anthems and rock operas twice, with Tommy and Quadrophenia. He also flexed his individuality with a stint as acquisitions editor for London publisher Faber and Faber. Townshend has published a book of his own, Horse's Neck, which is a collection of short stories he'd written between 1979 and 1984, tackling subjects such as childhood, stardom, and spirituality. Who fans are currently waiting with baited breath for the release of his forthcoming autobiography, Who He?

As with Townshend, Albarn and Wainwright will find it difficult to slip back into their old worlds. But, without those bright sparks, the world would be a far less interesting and creative place.

• Damon Albarn's Dr Dee: An English Opera will be unveiled at the Palace Theatre, Manchester, from July 1-9.
• Rufus Wainwright plays the Royal Opera House from July 18-23.
• Pete Townshend's autobiography, Who He?, is scheduled for release in the fall of 2012.

Sources:

Pete Townshend Who He? http://newcritics.com/blog1/2007/02/28/pete-townshend-who-he-and-us/

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