Difference between revisions of "The Beggar's Opera"

From ESAT
Jump to navigation Jump to search
Line 16: Line 16:
  
 
== Performance history in South Africa ==
 
== Performance history in South Africa ==
Staged in Cape Town in 1922 at the {Opera House]] by an overseas company under the direction of [[African Theatres]] Ltd.
+
Staged in Cape Town in 1922 at the [[Opera House]] by an overseas company under the direction of [[African Theatres]] Ltd.
  
A production by [[CAPAB]] in 1965 was directed and choreographed by [[Louis Burke]], with [[Joan Brickhill]], David Holliday [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Holliday] and a large cast which included [[Fitz Morley]], [[Paddy Canavan]], [[Yvonne Bryceland]], [[Frank Lazarus]]. The production was then taken to Johannesburg by [[Theatre International]] in 1966.
+
A production by [[CAPAB]] in 1965 was directed and choreographed by [[Louis Burke]], with [[Joan Brickhill]], David Holliday [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Holliday] and a large cast which included [[Fitz Morley]], [[Paddy Canavan]], [[Yvonne Bryceland]], [[Frank Lazarus]]. Musical direction was by [[Walter Swanson]], decor by [[Bill Smuts]], costumes by [[joan Brickhill]]. This production was then taken to Johannesburg by [[Theatre International]] in 1966.
  
 
== Sources ==
 
== Sources ==

Revision as of 10:49, 23 March 2016

The Beggar’s Opera is a ballad opera. The text is by John Gay (1685-1732) and the music consists largely of pouplar tunes of the day to whic Gay adapted his own words. In the original production these were arranged and orchestrated by Dr. Christoph Pepusch, who also composed the overture.

A musical comedy about the love triangle between the highwayman Macheath, his fence's daughter Polly and the jailer's daughter Lucy.

The original text

First produced in the Lincoln's Inn Fields Theatre in London in 1728.

Translations and adaptations

There was a London revival at the Lyric Theatre, Hammersmith, produced by Sir Nigel Playfair, for which the music was freely rearranged by Frederic Austin.

Since 1920 there had been several "rewrites" of The Beggar's Opera.

It later formed the basis of Bertolt Brecht’s immensely popular The Threepenny Opera (qv.).

Adapted by Louis Burke for the CAPAB production.

Performance history in South Africa

Staged in Cape Town in 1922 at the Opera House by an overseas company under the direction of African Theatres Ltd.

A production by CAPAB in 1965 was directed and choreographed by Louis Burke, with Joan Brickhill, David Holliday [1] and a large cast which included Fitz Morley, Paddy Canavan, Yvonne Bryceland, Frank Lazarus. Musical direction was by Walter Swanson, decor by Bill Smuts, costumes by joan Brickhill. This production was then taken to Johannesburg by Theatre International in 1966.

Sources

Wikipedia [2].

The Beaggar's Opera theatre programme, 1965.

Go to ESAT Bibliography

Return to

Return to PLAYS I: Original SA plays

Return to PLAYS II: Foreign plays

Return to PLAYS III: Collections

Return to PLAYS IV: Pageants and public performances

Return to South African Festivals and Competitions

Return to The ESAT Entries

Return to Main Page