{"id":6040,"date":"2014-05-25T22:10:41","date_gmt":"2014-05-25T22:10:41","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.eoisabi.org\/?p=6040"},"modified":"2020-11-19T00:11:47","modified_gmt":"2020-11-19T00:11:47","slug":"what-keeps-mankind-alive","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/englishroam.com\/?p=6040","title":{"rendered":"The Three-Penny Opera [K Weill]"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

The Threepenny Opera<\/strong><\/a> proclaims itself \u00aban opera for beggars,\u00bb 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<\/strong> and poet-playwright Bert Brecht<\/strong>. The show opens with a mock-Baroque overture, a nod to Threepenny’s source, The Beggar’s Opera,<\/em> a brilliantly successful parody of Handel’s operas written by John Gay<\/strong> 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, \u00abMack the Knife.\u00bb The setting is a fair in Soho (London), just before Queen Victoria’s coronation.<\/p>\n

\"\"Synopsis<\/h4>\n

\u2022  Prologue<\/strong><\/p>\n

After the overture<\/a>, the Street Singer comes onstage with a barrel organ and sings of the crimes of the notorious bandit and womanizer Macheath, Mack the Knife (\u00abBallad of Mack the Knife<\/a>\u00ab). The setting is a fair in Soho (London), just before Queen Victoria\u2019s coronation.<\/p>\n

\u2022 Act 1<\/strong><\/p>\n

Act I begins in the shop of Jonathan Peachum (\u00abMorning Anthem<\/a>\u00ab), who controls London’s beggars, equipping and training them in return for a cut of their \u00abearnings.\u00bb He enrolls a new beggar with the help of his wife, after which they notice that their grown daughter Polly did not come home the previous night (\u00abInstead Of Song<\/a>\u00ab). The scene shifts to an empty stable where Macheath is about to marry Polly, as soon as his gang has stolen and brought all the necessary food and furnishings (\u00abWedding Song<\/a>\u00ab). No vows are exchanged, but Polly is satisfied, and everyone sits down to a banquet. Since none of the gang members can provide fitting entertainment, Polly does it herself (\u00abPirate Jenny<\/a>\u00ab). The gang gets nervous when Chief of Police Tiger Brown arrives, but Brown turns out to be an old army buddy of Mack’s (\u00abArmy Song<\/a>\u00ab) who has prevented him from being arrested all these years. Everyone else exits and Mack and Polly celebrate their love (\u00abLove Song<\/a>\u00ab). Then Polly returns home and defiantly announces her marriage, as her parents urge her to get a divorce and Mrs. Peachum resolves to bribe Mack’s favorite prostitutes (\u00abBallad of Dependency<\/a>\u00ab). Polly reveals Mack’s ties to Brown, which gives Mr. and Mrs. Peachum an idea about how to snare Mack, and the trio meditates on the world\u2019s corruption (\u00abThe World Is Mean<\/a>\u00ab).<\/p>\n

\u2022 Act 2<\/strong><\/p>\n

Polly tells Mack that her father will have him arrested. He makes arrangements to leave London, explaining his bandit \u00abbusiness\u00bb to Polly so she can manage it in his absence, and he departs (\u00abMelodrama<\/a>\u00bb and \u00abPolly’s Song<\/a>\u00ab). Polly takes over the gang decisively as Mrs. Peachum bribes Jenny, Mack’s old lover, to turn him in (\u00abBallad of Dependency\u00bb reprise). On the way out of London, Mack stops at his favorite brothel to visit Jenny (\u00abTango Ballad<\/a>\u00ab). Brown arrives and apologetically arrests Mack, who goes to jail. He bribes the guard to remove his handcuffs (\u00abBallad of the Easy Life<\/a>\u00ab); then his girlfriend, Lucy–Brown’s daughter–arrives and declares her love (\u00abBarbara Song<\/a>\u00ab). Polly arrives, and she and Lucy quarrel (\u00abJealousy Duet<\/a>\u00ab). After Polly leaves, Lucy engineers Mack’s escape. When Mr. Peachum finds out, he threatens Brown and forces him to send the police after Mack. The action stops for another meditation on the unpleasant human condition (\u00abHow to Survive<\/a>\u00ab).<\/p>\n

\u2022  Act 3<\/strong><\/p>\n

Jenny comes to the Peachums’ shop to demand her bribe money, which Mrs. Peachum refuses to pay. Jenny reveals that Mack is at Suky Tawdry’s house. When Brown arrives, determined to arrest Peachum and the beggars, he is horrified to learn that the beggars are already in position and only Mr. Peachum can stop them (\u00abUseless Song<\/a>\u00ab). To placate Peachum, Brown’s only option is to arrest Mack and have him executed. Jenny mourns Mack’s plight (\u00abSolomon Song<\/a>\u00ab). In the next scene, Mack is back in jail (\u00abCall from the Grave<\/a>\u00ab). He begs the gang to raise a sufficient bribe, but they cannot (\u00abCall from the Grave\u00bb part 2<\/a>). A parade of visitors–Brown, Jenny, Peachum, and Polly–enters as Mack prepares to die (\u00abDeath Message<\/a>\u00ab). Then a sudden reversal: A messenger on horseback arrives to announce that Macheath has been pardoned by the Queen and granted a castle and pension (\u00abThe Mounted Messenger<\/a>\u00ab). The Street Singer delivers the coda (\u00abBallad of Mack the Knife\u00bb reprise<\/a>).<\/p>\n

SONGS  [click for lyrics]<\/h6>\n
\u2666\u2192 Ballad of Mack the Knife<\/a>  \u21d4  Ella Fitzgerald<\/a> \u2190<\/h5>\n

\u2193  Dee Dee Bridgewater & Ray Brown Trio <\/strong><\/p>\n