Ballad opera by John Gay and Johann Christoph Pepusch
In a new version by Ian Burton and Robert Carsen
Stage direction Robert Carsen
Musical conception William Christie
Duration:1h 50 without intermission Performed in English,spoken and song
Premiered on April 20, 2018 at Théâtre des Bouffes du Nord
On tour during the 2018/2019 and 2019/2020 seasons
Set : James Brandily
Costumes : Petra Reinhardt
Choreography : Rebecca Howell
Lighting : Robert Carsen and Peter van Praet
Dramaturgy : Ian Burton
Associate director : Christophe Gayral
Assistant director : Stéphane Ghislain Roussel
Make-up/Wigs : Marie Bureau du Colombier
Sound design : Léonard Françon
Casting director : David Grindrod CDG
Surtitles : Richard Neel
Costumes intern : Jana Höreth
Set design intern : Ava Rastegar
With
Robert Burt: MrPeachum
Beverley Klein: Mrs. Peachum/ Diana Trapes
Kate Batter: Polly PeachumBenjamin PurkissMacheathKraig ThornberLockit
Olivia Brereton: Lucy LockitLyndsey Gardiner Jenny Diver SeanLopemanFilch /Manuel Gavin Wilkinson Matt
Taite-Elliot: Drew Jack / Gardien de prison
Wayne Fitzsimmons: Robin Dominic Owen Harry Natasha Leaver Molly Emily Dunn Betty
Louise Dalton: Suky
Jocelyn Prah: Dolly
And the musicians of the ensemble Les Arts Florissants
Direction and harpsichord (alternately)
William Christie or Florian Carré or Marie van Rhijn
Musical researche Anna Besson and Sébastien Marq
Music score edition Pascal Duc (Les Arts Florissants)
Production C.I.C.T.– Théâtre des Bouffes du Nord
Co-production Attiki cultural Society Athens ; Les Arts Florissants with the help of CA-CIB ; Angers Nantes Opéra ; Opéra de Rennes ;
Les Théâtres de la Ville de Luxembourg ; Opéra Royal / Château de Versailles Spectacles ;
Grand Théâtre de Genève ; Théâtre de Caen ; Edinburgh International Festival ; Festival di Spoleto ;
Centre Lyrique Clermont-Auvergne ; Opéra Royal de Wallonie-Liège ;
Opéra de Reims / La Comédie de Reims CDN ; Teatro Coccia-Novara ; Teatro Verdi-Pisa ; Cercle des partenaires des Bouffes du Nord
With the generous support of KT Wong Fondation
Set Construction Angers Nantes Opéra
Attiki Cultural Society
On Tour THE BEGGAR’S OPERA
July 6 to 8, 2018: Spoleto Festival / Teatro Nuovo Gian carlo Menotti / Italy
August 16 to 19, 2018: Edinburgh International Festival / King’s Theatre / United Kingdom September
September 27 to 29, 2018: Théâtres de la ville de Luxembourg / Grand théâtre / Luxembourg
October 3 to 7, 2018: Grand theatre de Genève / Opéra des nations / Genêve / Switzerland
October 11 to 12, 2018: Centre lyrique - Clermont Auvergne / Opera-theâtre / Clermont-ferrand / France
October 20 and 21, 2018: Teatro de Pisa / Pise / Italy
October 27 and 28, 2018: Teatro Coccia / Novara / Italy
November 1 and 2, 2018: Attiki Cultural Society / Megaron / Alexandra Trianti Hall / Athènes / Greece
November 7 to 9, 2018: Angers Nantes Opéra / Grand théâtre d’Angers / Nantes / france
November 13, 2018: La Passerelle / Saint Brieuc / France
Novembrer 16 and 17, 2018: Le Dôme / Saumur / France
November 20, 2018: Théâtre des Jacobins / Dinan / France
November 23 and 24, 2018: Théâtre Anne de Bretagne / vanes / France
November 27, 2018: Le théâtre - Scène Nationale St Nazaire / France
November 30 and December 1st, 2018: Les Quinconces - L’espal / Le Mans / France
December 4 and 5, 2018: Le grand R / La roche sur Yon / France
Décember 8, 2018: Théâtre de laval / France
December 11 to 14, 2018: Angers Nantes opéra / Theatre Graslin / France
December 18 to 21, 2018: Théâtre de Caen / France
January 11 to 13, 2019: Opéra royal / Château de Versailles spectacles / France
January 16 to 19, 2019: Opéra de Rennes / France
January 22 and 23, 2019: Théâtre de Cornouaille / Quimper / France
January 26 and 27, 2019: Opéra de Reims / France
February 2 and 3, 2019: Opéra de Massy / France
February 5 and 6, 2019: La Coursive / La Rochelle / France
On tour for 19/20 season
« (…) it tackles different heated crises of our time that have international resonance and in a way that strikes at the comfort of its audience. »
« Its hilarity and at times, completely ludicrous nature plays into a larger social commentary. »
« The contrast works like a punch in the gut, and the audience lets out a collective gasp. »
« With dirty language and Brexit satire set to elegant baroque tunes, the production (…) has been billed a beggar’s opera “for our own turbulent times”. »
« It sets the tone brilliantly for a scabrous, virulent, gleefully profane production that teeters between grotesque humour and genuine shocks. »
« A brilliant tour de force between baroque and modernity »
« [Robert Carsen] bedazzles us when, with a magician’s touch, he spins the stage set around and transforms a baroque farce into a Thirties’ Hollywood comedy […]. »
« One is overcome with pleasure by the frantic vitality of a show delightfully performed, played to perfection, and subtly making light of yesterday and today. With imagination, it respectfully and
lovingly takes hold of a work written in 1728 and manages to make it so close to us, so funny andferocious. »
« With a wild and impertinent happy end. As if there were no break. As if ages and arts endlessly answered each other. »
« With Anglo-Saxon professionalism the actors sing, dance, jump and take obvious pleasure in playing this comedy that doesn’t mince its words. »
« Bloody good ! »
« An update that underlines the timelessness of a play whose fiery irony inspired so many artists over the years. »
« With terrific team-work, the amazing company of British actors-singers-dancers and the young French instrumentalists of the Arts Florissants, sweep away everything on their path. And nothing
seems so beautiful and so poetic as the cluster of multifunctional cardboard boxes amongst which the beggars flail around. »
« Simple, basic, and accomplished: in Paris or somewhere along its long tour to follow, you mustn’t snob these magnificent beggars! »
Diapason
« The team (…) have put together a high-energy show which remains true to John Gay’s original satire. »
Opera Critics
« (…) Robert Carsen’s Theatre des Bouffes du Nord staging of John Gay’s “ballad opera”, with onstage music by William Christie’s baroque ensemble Les Arts Florissants, is the sort of show you could watch multiple times and find new details to marvel and chuckle at. »
« The language is ripe, but never gratuitously so, and it is very funny, even if you daren’t laugh too long at one thing for fear of missing the next. »
The Herald Scotland