Set in the impoverished back alleys of Victorian London, The Threepenny Opera follows underworld antihero Mackie Messer (a.k.a. Mack the Knife) as he tries to woo Polly Peachum and elude the authorities. With its palpable evocation of corruption and dread, set to Kurt Weill’s irresistible score, The Threepenny Opera remains a benchmark of early sound cinema.
A landmark 20th century work rarely performed by a professional opera company, The Threepenny Opera sends up a satiric critique of capitalism and the meaning of morality when living in the slums.
Classic tunes including “Mack the Knife,” “Pirate Jenny” and ballads for broken relationships, struggle, love, life and death are the heart of the production.