"THE BEGGAR'S OPERA"

Evening Post, Volume CVI, Issue 126, 24 November 1923, Page 8

"THE BEGGAR'S OPERA"

_Next Saturday night, at the Grand Opera House, New Zealand musiclovers will be under.a further debt to tiie J. C. . Williamson firm, for "The Beggar's Opera" is to be presented for the first time. The vitality of this 200----year-old Erigjish opera is twofold. Its genuine English atmosphere and.its rich-' ness in good ballads account for its popularity. One can imagine how Gay's fresh and racy work took London by storm in 1728, coming, as it then did, in complete contrast to the then fashionable Italian opera, of which Handel was an exponent. In fact, it may be said that "The Beggar's. Opera" had much to do with Handel's financial downfall, as at that time public taste changed in favour of ballad operas. The first production of this work took pjace at Lincoln's Inn Fields, where one, Eich, was the lessee of the Theatre Boyal. A witty play upon his name made by Gay, the author ot the piece, was that the opera made Gay rich and Rich gay. Its success was- enormous. "The Beggar's Opera' was revived from generation to generation, with, of course, additions and alterations. Previous to the latest London production at the Lyric, Hammersmith, where it ran for two and a half years, it was produced at the Old Gaiety Theatre in the 'eighties, with Sir Charles Santley in the role of the amorous Macheath. For the people to-day, the music is the chief charm of the piece; but it is that wonderful store 'of charming, old songs that fascinates most.. In the orchestra the instruments of the period will be played, under the baton of M. Slapovski. The box plans open on Thursday next at The Bristol.