Damon Albarn starts work on new opera project

Damon Albarn has announced that he's working on a new opera project, with work starting pretty much straight away. The Blur frontman and mastermind behind Gorillaz will be putting music to Johan Wolfgang von Goethe’s The Magic Flute Part Two.

“I got offered this amazing opportunity to set Goethe’s Magic Flute Part Two to music and song,” Albarn told Consequence of Sound.

“I’m kind of teaching myself Goethe, I feel like I need to kind of know what I’m dealing with. I suppose that’s what the crazy, the joy of the creative process is — finding those connections, because the urge to write and create worlds is sort of like a madness.”

New album, The Ballad of Darren, out 21st July 2023.https://t.co/qNxQRSTpA6 pic.twitter.com/a5gXw1TuhB

— Damon Albarn (@Damonalbarn) May 18, 2023

Albarn already has experience in the realm of opera, having  made one in 2011 based on Elizabethan scientist Dr John Dee. In 2007 he co-created Monkey: Journey to the West with fellow Gorillaz collaborator and animator Jamie Hewlett.

The English musician also produced the score for an Alice in Wonderland Musical in 2015 and set the music to Le Vol du Boli, an opera which was staged in Paris over lockdown.

Appearing recently on the Broken Record podcast, Albarn suggested that another Gorillaz album is in the works, following up from Cracker Island, which was released earlier this year.

Blur’s ninth studio album The Ballad of Darren is also set for release on July 21. Having recently played a sold show in Malahide last month, Albarn and co. were the cove stars for this month’s edition of Hot Press. Last weekend's huge Wembley Stadium show saw Damon get emotional.

The band's exclusive interview with Hot Press’ Paul Nolan is available in Hot Press’ July issue, out now.