Difference between revisions of "The Beggar's Opera"

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''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.
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''[[The Beggar's Opera]]''  is a ballad opera[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ballad_opera] by John Gay (1685-1732)[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Gay]
  
A musical comedy about the love triangle between the highwayman Macheath, his fence's daughter Polly and the jailer's daughter Lucy.   
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== The original text ==
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Based on the story of the infamous British thief and jailbreaker '''Jack Sheppard'''[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jack_Sheppard], the play is a musical comedy about the love triangle between the highwayman Macheath, his fence's daughter Polly and the jailer's daughter Lucy.   
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John Gay's text uses music consisting largely of poplar tunes of the day,  to which Gay adapted his own words. In the original production these were arranged and orchestrated by Johann Christoph Pepusch (1667-1752)[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Johann_Christoph_Pepusch], who also composed the overture.
  
== The original text ==
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The original version was first produced in the Lincoln's Inn Fields Theatre in London in 1728.
First produced in the Lincoln's Inn Fields Theatre in London in 1728.  
 
  
 
==Translations and adaptations==
 
==Translations and adaptations==
There was a London revival at the Lyric Theatre, Hammersmith, produced by Sir Nigel Playfair, for whic the music was freely rearranged by Frederic Austin.
 
  
Since 1920 there had been several "rewrites" of ''The Beggar's Opera''.
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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.
  
It later formed the basis of Bertolt Brecht’s immensely popular ''[[The Threepenny Opera]]'' (qv.).  
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Since 1920 there had been several "rewrites" of ''[[The Beggar's Opera]]'' and it later formed the basis of Bertolt Brecht’s immensely popular ''[[The Threepenny Opera]]'' (1928)[].  
  
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In 1953 a Technicolor film version was made of Gay's opera,  directed by Peter Brook and starring Laurence Olivier, Dorothy Tutin, [[Stanley Holloway]] and others.[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Beggar%27s_Opera_(film)]
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[[Louis Burke]] made a South African adaptation of Gay's play for the [[CAPAB]] production of 1965.
  
 
== Performance history in South Africa ==
 
== Performance history in South Africa ==
Satged in Cape Town in 1922 at the {Opera House]] by an overseas company under the direction of African Theatres Ltd.
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1922: Staged in Cape Town in 1922 at the [[Opera House]] by an overseas company under the direction of [[African Theatres]] Ltd.
  
South African performances of Gay’s opera include productions by [[CAPAB]] in 1964 and [[Louis Burke]], with [[Joan Brickhill]], [[David Holliday]], [[Louis Burke]], [[Maggie Soboil]] and [[Frank Lazarus]] (opened in Cape Town in 1965, and then taken to Johannesburg by [[Theatre International]] in 1966).**.
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1965: 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]], [[Maggie Soboil]].  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.
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1966: Presented by [[PACOFS Opera]].
  
 
== Sources ==
 
== Sources ==
''The Beaggar's Opera'' theatre programme, 1965.
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https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Gay
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https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Johann_Christoph_Pepusch
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https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Beggar%27s_Opera
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https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ballad_opera
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https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Beggar%27s_Opera_(film)
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''[[The Beggar's Opera]]'' theatre programme, 1965.
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[[Alexandra Xenia Sabina Mossolow]]. 2003. The career of South African soprano Nellie du Toit, born 1929. Unpublished Masters thesis. [[University of Stellenbosch]].
  
 
Go to [[ESAT Bibliography]]
 
Go to [[ESAT Bibliography]]

Latest revision as of 17:40, 14 March 2024

The Beggar's Opera is a ballad opera[1] by John Gay (1685-1732)[2]

The original text

Based on the story of the infamous British thief and jailbreaker Jack Sheppard[3], the play is a musical comedy about the love triangle between the highwayman Macheath, his fence's daughter Polly and the jailer's daughter Lucy.

John Gay's text uses music consisting largely of poplar tunes of the day, to which Gay adapted his own words. In the original production these were arranged and orchestrated by Johann Christoph Pepusch (1667-1752)[4], who also composed the overture.

The original version was 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 and it later formed the basis of Bertolt Brecht’s immensely popular The Threepenny Opera (1928)[].

In 1953 a Technicolor film version was made of Gay's opera, directed by Peter Brook and starring Laurence Olivier, Dorothy Tutin, Stanley Holloway and others.[5]

Louis Burke made a South African adaptation of Gay's play for the CAPAB production of 1965.

Performance history in South Africa

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

1965: A production by CAPAB in 1965 was directed and choreographed by Louis Burke, with Joan Brickhill, David Holliday [6] and a large cast which included Fitz Morley, Paddy Canavan, Yvonne Bryceland, Frank Lazarus, Maggie Soboil. 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.

1966: Presented by PACOFS Opera.

Sources

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Gay

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Johann_Christoph_Pepusch

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Beggar%27s_Opera

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ballad_opera

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Beggar%27s_Opera_(film)

The Beggar's Opera theatre programme, 1965.

Alexandra Xenia Sabina Mossolow. 2003. The career of South African soprano Nellie du Toit, born 1929. Unpublished Masters thesis. University of Stellenbosch.

Go to ESAT Bibliography

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