Kanye West to Stage an Opera at Hollywood Bowl on Sunday

By Variety Staff

LOS ANGELES (Variety.com) – In line with his recent spate of Christian-themed “Sunday Service” performances and his “ Jesus Is King” album , Kanye West will present an opera titled “Nebuchadnezzar” at the Hollywood Bowl on Sunday, Nov. 24, he and the venue announced on social media yesterday.

West shared a photo of a gold-plated invitation to the event, apparently designed by Nick Knight and featuring an image of the ancient Babylonian king, who features heavily in the Bible. The invitation notes, “Nebuchadnezzar will be directed by Vanessa Beecroft and include music with Sunday Service, Peter Colins & Infinities Song.” A rep for West did not immediately respond to Variety’s request for further details.

Tickets for the event will be on sale today at noon local time. The show is scheduled to begin at 4 p.m. and appears likely to follow the format of West’s Sunday Services, although the Nebuchadnezzar reference in the title suggests that the performance will have a new twist.

The Sunday Services are similar to church services and largely feature West as a secondary performer — while he is clearly overseeing the event and is at the center of it, he sings or raps only occasionally or joins in on a keyboard or percussion instrument.

Nebuchadnezzar, who ruled Babylon in the 6th and 7th centuries B.C., is prominent in the Bible’s Book of Daniel as the king who conquered Jerusalem.