William Christie conducts The Beggar’s Opera
Robert Carsen (stage director), William Christie (conductor) – With Robert Burt (Mr Peachum), Beverley Klein (Mrs. Peachum), Kate Batter (Polly Peachum)...
Cast
Robert Carsen — Stage director
James Brandily — Scenography
Petra Reinhardt — Costume designer
Rebecca Howell — Choreographer
Program notes
Come discover this cheeky and ebullient reinterpretation of The Beggar’s Opera by Gay & Pepusch in a stellar English production conducted by the great William Christie, brought to life by renowned stage director Robert Carsen and Les Arts Florissants!
This irreverent work may be seen as prefiguring the genre of the operetta, critiquing the society that gave rise to it while parodying the codes of opera seria. Librettist John Gay recounts a tale not of nobles, royals, and heroes—but one of bandits, beggars, and prostitutes, set within the limits of 18th-century London… Gay’s intent was to create a work created by the working class and for the working class. The music, compiled and arranged by John Pepusch, finds its inspiration both in folk songs and in famous works by English composers like Purcell and Handel. For this revival at Paris's Bouffes du Nord Theatre, director Robert Carsen updates the libretto for our modern age and sensibilities, successfully offering up a spectacle that blends pointed satire with memorable tunes.