Beggars Opera cover art

Beggars Opera

Beggars Opera

By: John Gay
Listen for free

Season's Savings | £0.99/mo for 3 months

£5.99/mo after 3 months - terms apply. Cancel monthly
The Beggars Opera, penned by John Gay in 1728 and featuring music arranged by Johann Christoph Pepusch, is a brilliant ballad opera that cleverly satirizes the Italian opera craze sweeping London at the time. Instead of grand historical or mythological figures, this engaging piece tells the story of beggars, highwaymen, and women of the town, all set to the lively tunes of popular street ballads, hymns, and folk songs from the era, including melodies inspired by Handel and others. With a remarkable run of 62 performances—an astounding record for any play in 18th-century England—the opera saw a revival in 1920 and further acclaim, inspiring Bertolt Brecht and Kurt Weill to create their own adaptation, Die Dreigroschenoper. (Summary by Alan Mapstone)Copyright Kids Stories and Comedy Art Drama & Plays Entertainment & Performing Arts
Episodes
  • Reformation Collection Volume 2-Various

    Reformation Collection Volume 2-Various
    Aug 24 2026
    The Beggars Opera, penned by John Gay in 1728 and featuring music arranged by Johann Christoph Pepusch, is a brilliant ballad opera that cleverly satirizes the Italian opera craze sweeping London at the time. Instead of grand historical or mythological figures, this engaging piece tells the story of beggars, highwaymen, and women of the town, all set to the lively tunes of popular street ballads, hymns, and folk songs from the era, including melodies inspired by Handel and others. With a remarkable run of 62 performances—an astounding record for any play in 18th-century England—the opera saw a revival in 1920 and further acclaim, inspiring Bertolt Brecht and Kurt Weill to create their own adaptation, Die Dreigroschenoper. (Summary by Alan Mapstone)
    Show More Show Less
    7 hrs
  • Peer Gynt-Henrik Ibsen

    Peer Gynt-Henrik Ibsen
    Aug 23 2026
    The Beggars Opera, penned by John Gay in 1728 and featuring music arranged by Johann Christoph Pepusch, is a brilliant ballad opera that cleverly satirizes the Italian opera craze sweeping London at the time. Instead of grand historical or mythological figures, this engaging piece tells the story of beggars, highwaymen, and women of the town, all set to the lively tunes of popular street ballads, hymns, and folk songs from the era, including melodies inspired by Handel and others. With a remarkable run of 62 performances—an astounding record for any play in 18th-century England—the opera saw a revival in 1920 and further acclaim, inspiring Bertolt Brecht and Kurt Weill to create their own adaptation, Die Dreigroschenoper. (Summary by Alan Mapstone)
    Show More Show Less
    5 hrs and 19 mins
  • Waste A Tragedy in Four Acts (1906)-Harley Granville-Barker

    Waste A Tragedy in Four Acts (1906)-Harley Granville-Barker
    Aug 22 2026
    The Beggars Opera, penned by John Gay in 1728 and featuring music arranged by Johann Christoph Pepusch, is a brilliant ballad opera that cleverly satirizes the Italian opera craze sweeping London at the time. Instead of grand historical or mythological figures, this engaging piece tells the story of beggars, highwaymen, and women of the town, all set to the lively tunes of popular street ballads, hymns, and folk songs from the era, including melodies inspired by Handel and others. With a remarkable run of 62 performances—an astounding record for any play in 18th-century England—the opera saw a revival in 1920 and further acclaim, inspiring Bertolt Brecht and Kurt Weill to create their own adaptation, Die Dreigroschenoper. (Summary by Alan Mapstone)
    Show More Show Less
    4 hrs and 4 mins
adbl_web_anon_alc_button_suppression_t1
No reviews yet