The Threepenny Opera (1995)
The Threepenny Opera proclaims itself "an opera for beggars," and it was in fact an attempt both to satirize traditional opera and operetta and to create a new kind of musical theater based on the theories of two young German artists, composer Kurt Weill and poet-playwright Bert Brecht. The show opens with a mock-Baroque overture, a nod to Threepenny's source, The Beggar's Opera, a brilliantly successful parody of Handel's operas written by John Gay in 1728. In a brief prologue following the overture, a shabby figure comes onstage with a barrel organ and launches into a song chronicling the crimes of the notorious bandit and womanizer Macheath, "Mack the Knife." The setting is a fair in Soho (London), just before Queen Victoria's coronation. In this production, Weill champion HK Gruber led the Ensemble Modern in a performance of Weill's complete original score, the first time it had been heard in Germany in many years. This production was broadcast on German television (3sat).
Cast
- Friedrich Karl Praetorius - Macheath, genannt Mackie Messer
- Jürgen Holtz - Jonathan Jeremiah Peachum
- Ingeborg Engelmann - Celia Peachum, seine Frau
- Katherina Lange - Polly Peachum, seine Tochter
- Axel Böhmert - Brown, Polizeichef von London
- Dorothee Hartinger - Lucy, seine Tochter
- Carola Regnier - Die Spelunken-Jenny
- Wilfried Elste - Pastor Kimball
- Stephan Grossmann - Filch / Trauerweiden-Walter
- Michael Lucke - Ein Moritatensänger / Münz-Matthias
Screenplay
- Bertolt Brecht (Book)
- Elisabeth Hauptmann (Book)
Keywords
opera, society, critic, musik, schauspiel
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Frequently Asked Questions
- What is The Threepenny Opera about?
- The Threepenny Opera proclaims itself "an opera for beggars," and it was in fact an attempt both to satirize traditional opera and operetta and to create a new kind of musical theater based on the theories of two young German artists, composer Kurt Weill and poet-playwright Bert Brecht. The show opens with a mock-Baroque overture, a nod to Threepenny's source, The Beggar's Opera, a brilliantly successful parody of Handel's operas written by John Gay in 1728. In a brief prologue following the overture, a shabby figure comes onstage with a barrel organ and launches into a song chronicling the crimes of the notorious bandit and womanizer Macheath, "Mack the Knife." The setting is a fair in Soho (London), just before Queen Victoria's coronation. In this production, Weill champion HK Gruber led the Ensemble Modern in a performance of Weill's complete original score, the first time it had been heard in Germany in many years. This production was broadcast on German television (3sat).
- Who directed The Threepenny Opera?
- The Threepenny Opera was directed by Hans Hollmann, Barrie Gavin.
- Who stars in The Threepenny Opera?
- The Threepenny Opera stars Friedrich Karl Praetorius, Jürgen Holtz, Ingeborg Engelmann, Katherina Lange, Axel Böhmert, Dorothee Hartinger.
- How long is The Threepenny Opera?
- The Threepenny Opera has a runtime of 2h 43m (163 minutes).
- What genre is The Threepenny Opera?
- The Threepenny Opera is a Music film.
- Where was The Threepenny Opera produced?
- The Threepenny Opera was produced in Germany.