Name: The Beggar's Opera
Start: 1983-01-01T00:00:00.000Z
End: 1983-01-01T00:00:00.000Z
Location: Komische Oper

Organization

Conductor

John Eliot Gardiner

Stage director

Paul Daniel

Singer

Rosemary Ashe

Lucy Lockit

Komische Oper Berlin

The Beggar's Opera

Berlin

Germany

John Gay (1685-1732), a genial poet and playwright with a talent for satire, got the idea for The Beggar’s Opera from his friend, the satirist Jonathan Swift, who had mentioned to him that “A Newgate pastoral might make a pretty sort of thing”. It was staged by the actor-manager John Rich (who introduced pantomime to England) and succeeded beyond their wildest dreams, making, it was said, “Gay rich and Rich gay”. In general, ballad opera, set among London’s criminal classes and full of satirical jibes about corruption in high places, suited English taste better than Handel’s heroic operas by the 1720s.

Created specially for television, this Beggar’s Opera captures the quality and satiric edge of the Hogarth engravings which influenced Gay’s original version. The characters of this highly-spirited comedy of London low-life thrived on thieving, lechery and deceit: Peachum (Streatford Johns), the receiver of stolen goods, shops his clients when it suits him; Macheath, the highwayman, has married Polly Peachum (Carol Hall) but is promised to Lucy Lockit (Rosemary Ashe). Lucy tries to poison her rival, Polly; Peachum and Lockit can both profit from Macheath’s demise and so he is brought to the gallows through his lecherous exploits. Lust, greed and corruption abound in this exuberant piece of popular theatre.

The music for this production has been arranged from the eighteenth-century folksongs of the original (selected by Johann Christoph Pepusch) by baroque specialists Jeremy Barlow and John Eliot Gardiner, who conducts The English Baroque Soloists, performing on authentic period instruments.

Roger Daltrey, lead singer of The Who and star of the films including Tommy, McVicar and Lisztomania, heads a distinguished cast as the villainous hero Macheath.

Komische Oper

The Beggar's Opera Pepusch

Public

Approved

Bass

Instrumentalist

Pianist

Violinist

Cellist

Violist

Flutist

Clarinetist

Guitarist

Organist

Percussionist

hornist

Oboist

Bassoonist

Trumpeter

Contrabassist

Trombonist

Harper

Saxophonist

Harpsichordist

Bassist

Accordionist

Tuba Player

Recorder Player

Lutenist

Tenor Violinist

Timpani

Mandoline Player

Baroque Flutist

Baroque Oboist

Baroque Trumpetist

Violino Piccolo Player

Viola da gamba

Musette de cour Player

Viola Pomposa Player

Archlutenist

Vibraphonist

Cornettist

Viola d’amore Player

Theorbist

Composer

Librettist

Set designer

Costume designer

Choreographer

Lighting designer

Dancer

Actor

Chorus master

Video designer

Dramaturge

Translator

Sound designer

Repetiteur

Makeup artist

Executive producer

Hairstylist

Other

Stage Manager

Choir

Orchestra

Poet

Vocal coach

Teacher

Photographer

Broadcasting

Illustrator

Writer

Writing and performance

Chorus Director

Wig & Makeup Designer

Orchestra Operations

Extra

Countertenor

Bass-baritone

Contralto

Mezzo-soprano

Tenor

Soprano

Baritone

Spoken

Child vocalist

Silent

Alto

Continuo

Watch full performance here: The Beggar's Opera (1983)

The Beggar's Opera - Preview clip

The Beggar's Opera by Pepusch, lau 01 jan 1983, Frá (1983/1983), Leikstýrt af Paul Daniel,, Hljómsveitarstjóri John Eliot Gardiner, Komische Oper, Berlin, Germany

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