The Beggar's Opera To Which Is Added The Music To Each Song

By John Gay

Book Overview

The Beggar's Opera is a classic literary work by John Gay, first published in 1728. The book is a satirical musical play that tells the story of a group of thieves and prostitutes in 18th-century London. The play is written in ballad form and features popular songs of the time, making it one of the first musicals ever created.The story follows the adventures of a notorious highwayman named Macheath, who is pursued by the corrupt Peachum family and their gang of thieves. Along the way, Macheath falls in love with Polly Peachum, the daughter of the family's leader, and the two elope. However, their happiness is short-lived as they are eventually caught and sentenced to death.In addition to the play itself, this edition of The Beggar's Opera also includes the sheet music for each of the songs featured in the play. This allows readers to fully appreciate the musical aspect of the work and to experience the songs as they were originally intended.Overall, The Beggar's Opera is a witty and entertaining work that provides a unique glimpse into the world of 18th-century London. It is a must-read for anyone interested in literature, theater, or music history.This scarce antiquarian book is a facsimile reprint of the old original and may contain some imperfections such as library marks and notations. Because we believe this work is culturally important, we have made it available as part of our commitment for protecting, preserving, and promoting the world's literature in affordable, high quality, modern editions, that are true to their original work.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1162755253
• ISBN13: 9781162755250
• Release Date: September 2010
• Publisher: Kessinger Publishing
• Length: 156 Pages
• Weight: 0.48 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.3" x 6.0" x 9.0"

Customer Reviews

The Beggar's Opera to Which is Added the Music to Each Song.

This is worth its weight. The complete title of the version that had an ISBN 9781163204177 added later is The Beggar's Opera to Which is Added the Music to Each Song with illustrations by Mariette Lydis. Hardcover – January 1, 1937. 113 Pages I do not see an exact copy here. But it is available and worth the search. Each song is laid out on a scale. I have the movie “The 3 Penny Opera” Original title: Die 3 Groschen-Oper. (1931) with Jenny (played by Lotte Lenya). The introduction is worth the price alone; the balance is serendipity. If it is hard to read the score, you may need to use a recorder and play along. Of course, any version will be worth the price. It looks like there may be some reprints out there.