Cocker to narrate 'Peter and the Wolf'

Pulp frontman Jarvis Cocker is turning to classical music, as the narrator of Prokofiev's Peter and the Wolf.

The singer, who recently announced that he would reunite with Pulp for shows next summer, will perform with the Philharmonia Orchestra at London's Royal Festival Hall next month. Other rock stars who have taken on the narrator role in the well-loved story include David Bowie. Cocker has previously strayed into the spoken word with his recording of the classic monologue Albert and the Lion.

In Peter and the Wolf, Cocker will introduce the orchestra's instruments, many of which represent characters in the composition. He said: "I love telling stories and this one has the added bonus of having a fantastic musical accompaniment."