Organization

Conductor

Peter Schedding

Stage director

Martin G. Berger

Set designer

Sarah-Katharina Karl

Costume designer

Regine Foot

Choreographer

Mattia De Salve

Dramaturge

Katja Prussas

Lighting designer

Jürgen Kolb

Singer

Tenor

Sandro Šutalo

Macheath

Bass

Aljoscha Langel

Jonathan Jeremiah Peachum

Mezzo-soprano

Annett Kruschke

Celia Peachum

Soprano

Iris Becher

Polly Peachum

Baritone

Hagen Oechel

Jackie "Tiger" Brown

Emilia Reichenbach

Lucy Brown

Katharina Brehl

Jenny

Marius Bistritzky,

Filch

Annalena Haering

Matthias

Marcel Jacqueline

Jakob

Jennifer Quast

Walter

Staatstheater Kassel

Die Dreigroschenoper -  (The Threepenny Opera)

Kassel

Germany

Opernhaus

Die Dreigroschenoper

Public

The Threepenny Opera

Approved

The sensational premiere of the  Threepenny Opera came at a time when the world was in upheaval. In 1928, the unstable society, looking backwards and full of fear for the future, is already fatally heading for the catastrophe. In her update of the infamous  Beggar's OperaBertolt Brecht and Kurt Weill realize the idea of ​​an epic music theater for the first time, which dissects social conditions with an alienating, reflective view. The fact that they consciously go against convention in terms of orchestration, harmony and subject matter and yet create the most popular music theater work of the 20th century with timelessly popular hits is one of the most productive paradoxes in the history of opera. The work tells of the love of the murderer, pimp and arsonist Mackie Messer for Polly Peachum, the daughter of the London beggar entrepreneur; of friendship and betrayal - because the world is poor and people are bad. She tells of the loneliness in the big city, of the alienation of people - and of the conditions that are just the way they are. 

From the gruff populism of the privileged to the fantastically absurd pardoning of the chief criminal; from the bourgeoisie that cannot be driven out to big parties in times of absolutely no alternative, this highlight for actors is now, at the beginning of the 'new' 20s, more topical and prophetic than ever. A  "melancholic revue" according to director Martin G. Berger, whose previous works in opera, musicals and drama underline that for him  "demand and entertainment are not opposites" . In 2020 he received the German Theater Prize DER FAUST for his Weimar production of  Ariadne auf Naxos . From the 2021/22 season he will be the new opera director at the Mecklenburg State Theater in Schwerin.

The Threepenny Opera is a joint production of drama and music theater.

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The sensational premiere of The Threepenny Opera took place at a time when the world was in upheaval. In 1928, the unstable society, backward-looking and full of fear for the future, was already heading fatally towards disaster. In their update of the infamous Beggar's Opera, Bertolt Brecht and Kurt Weill realized for the first time the idea of ​​an epic musical theater that dissects social conditions with an alienating, reflective gaze. The fact that they deliberately went against convention in terms of orchestration, harmony and subject matter and yet created the most popular music theater work of the 20th century with timeless, popular popular hits is one of the most productive paradoxes in opera history. The work tells of the love of the murderer, pimp and arsonist Mackie Messer for Polly Peachum, the daughter of the London beggar entrepreneur; of friendship and betrayal - because the world is poor and man is bad. It tells of loneliness in the big city, of the alienation of man - and of the conditions that are just the way they are.

From the gruff populism of the privileged to the fantastically absurd pardon of the chief criminal; from the bourgeoisie that cannot be exorcised to the big parties in times of absolute lack of alternatives, this masterpiece for actors and actresses is now, at the beginning of the 'new' 1920s, more topical and prophetic than ever. A "melancholy revue", according to director Martin G. Berger, whose previous works in opera, musical and drama underline that for him "ambition and entertainment are not opposites". In 2020 he received the German theater prize DER FAUST for his Weimar production of Ariadne auf Naxos. From the 2021/22 season he will be the new opera director at the Mecklenburg State Theater in Schwerin.

The Threepenny Opera is a joint production of drama and music theatre.

English

Die aufsehenerregende Uraufführung der Dreigroschenoper fiel in eine Zeit, in der die Welt im Umbruch war. 1928 steuert die labile Gesellschaft rückwärtsgewandt und voller Zukunftsangst bereits fatal auf die Katastrophe zu. In ihrer Aktualisierung der berüchtigten Beggar’s Opera verwirklichen Bertolt Brecht und Kurt Weill erstmals die Idee eines epischen Musiktheaters, das mit verfremdend-reflektierendem Blick die gesellschaftlichen Zustände seziert. Dass sie sich in Orchesterbesetzung, Harmonik und Sujet bewusst gegen die Konvention stellen und dabei dennoch das beliebteste Musiktheaterwerk des 20. Jahrhunderts mit zeitlos-populären Gassenhauern kreieren, gehört zu den produktivsten Paradoxien der Operngeschichte. Das Werk erzählt von der Liebe des Mörders, Zuhälters und Brandstifters Mackie Messer zu Polly Peachum, der Tochter des Londoner Bettelunternehmers; von Freundschaft und Verrat – weil die Welt eben arm und der Mensch schlecht ist. Sie erzählt von der Einsamkeit in der Großstadt, von der Entfremdung des Menschen – und von den Verhältnissen, die eben sind, wie sie sind. 

Vom ruppigen Populismus der Privilegierten bis zur fantastisch-absurden Begnadigung des Oberverbrechers; von der nicht auszutreibenden Bürgerlichkeit bis zu großen Partys in Zeiten absoluter Alternativlosigkeit ist dieses Glanzstück für Schauspieler:innen nun, zu Beginn der ‚neuen‘ 20er Jahre, aktuell und prophetisch wie nie. Eine „melancholische Revue“, so Regisseur Martin G. Berger, dessen bisherige Arbeiten in Oper, Musical und Schauspiel unterstreichen, dass für ihn „Anspruch und Unterhaltung keine Gegensätze“ sind. 2020 erhielt er für seine Weimarer Inszenierung von Ariadne auf Naxos den Deutschen Theaterpreis DER FAUST. Ab der Spielzeit 2021/22 ist er neuer Operndirektor am Mecklenburgischen Staatstheater Schwerin.

Die Dreigroschenoper ist eine gemeinsame Produktion von Schauspiel und Musiktheater.

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The sensational premiere of The Threepenny Opera took place at a time when the world was in upheaval. In 1928, the unstable society, backward-looking and full of fear for the future, was already heading fatally towards disaster. In their update of the infamous Beggar's Opera, Bertolt Brecht and Kurt Weill realised for the first time the idea of an epic musical theatre that dissects social conditions with an alienating, reflective gaze. The fact that they deliberately went against convention in terms of orchestration, harmony and subject matter and yet created the most popular music theatre work of the 20th century with timeless, popular popular hits is one of the most productive paradoxes in opera history. The work tells of the love of the murderer, pimp and arsonist Mackie Messer for Polly Peachum, the daughter of the London beggar entrepreneur; of friendship and betrayal - because the world is poor and man is bad. It tells of loneliness in the big city, of the alienation of man - and of the conditions that are just the way they are.

From the gruff populism of the privileged to the fantastically absurd pardon of the chief criminal; from the bourgeoisie that cannot be exorcised to the big parties in times of absolute lack of alternatives, this masterpiece for actors and actresses is now, at the beginning of the 'new' 1920s, more topical and prophetic than ever. A "melancholy revue", according to director Martin G. Berger, whose previous works in opera, musical and drama underline that for him "ambition and entertainment are not opposites". In 2020 he received the German theatre prize DER FAUST for his Weimar production of Ariadne auf Naxos. From the 2021/22 season he will be the new opera director at the Mecklenburg State Theatre in Schwerin.

The Threepenny Opera is a joint production of drama and music theatre.

Deutsch

The Threepenny Opera by Weill, From (2022/2023), Directed by Martin G. Berger,, Conductor Peter Schedding, Opernhaus, Kassel, Germany

Performance credits (Cast & Crew )

Cast

Crew

Program, About & Synopsis

Photos

Further reading

Performance Dates & Venues

Venues