10/16/2009
Rice Theatre offers 'Threepenny Opera' in November
Eighteenth century finds home in modern world
FROM RICE NEWS STAFF REPORTS
With public debt ballooning, banks going bust and a depression looming, "The Threepenny Opera" has a plot fit for today's front page even though it's based on an 18th-century story. Under the vision of critically acclaimed guest director Leslie Swackhamer and the musical direction of Rice's Cristi Macelaru, Rice University Theatre will present the award-winning production Nov. 13-15 and 19-21.
Written by Bertolt Brecht (book and lyrics) and Kurt Weill (music), "The Threepenny Opera" was inspired by John Gay’s "The Beggar’s Opera." Brecht and Weill’s creation is a savage, biting commentary on capitalism and modern morality. Originally set in London, "The Threepenny Opera" is a musical satire of the outlaw Mack the Knife in which love, sex, murder and theft all become tactics for survival in a society spinning out of control.
Winner of three Tony Awards, "The Threepenny Opera" revolutionized musical theater by overcoming superficiality and mere storytelling in favor of presenting ideas. Weill’s acidic harmonies and Brecht’s piercing texts created a transformation that inspired such subsequent hits as "Cabaret," "Chicago" and "Urinetown."
Performances will be in Hamman Hall at 8 p.m. Nov. 13 and 14, 2 p.m. Nov. 15 and 8 p.m. Nov. 19-21. Tickets are $10 for general admission, $8 for Rice faculty, staff and alumni, and $5 for students. Tickets are available in advance by calling 713-348-PLAY.
A free reception will be held opening night at 7 p.m., with a pre-show talk by German Consul General Roland Herrmann and Christian Emden, associate professor of German studies.
For more information, visit
www.arts.rice.edu.
