Damon Albarn readies opera
Yahoo! Music, Mar 27, 2007 4:00 pm PDTA Damon Albarn opera will open England's Manchester International Festival this summer, it has been confirmed.
The Blur/Gorillaz/Good, The Bad & The Queen star has been working on the production in recent months, inspired by the ancient Chinese tale of the monkey.
Monkey: Journey To The West is described as a "circus opera" by festival director Alex Roots and features a 45-piece troupe from China, Shaolin monks, and martial arts experts.
The show, which includes music composed by Albarn and a visual concept designed by Jamie Hewlett, runs between June 28 and July 7.
The Manchester International Festival, which hosted the landmark five-night Gorillaz live residency last year, takes place between June 28 and July 15.
Lou Reed, Smokey Robinson, Kayne West, Happy Mondays, The Fall, and PJ Harvey also feature on the bill at numerous venues across the city.
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