The Beggar's OperaThe Beggar's Opera is the only ballad opera that is still popularly performed today. A ballad opera is a satirical musical, which uses the form of an opera but incorporates popular songs and ballads as well as operatic numbers. The Beggar's Opera satirizes the corruption to be found in all levels of society. Its immense popularity provided funds for the Theatre Royal, Covent Garden, to be built and also catapulted its leading lady to fame. It has continued to be performed ever since its premier in 1728. |
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Affair aWdry Bagshot BEGGAR Bob Booty Brother Business Cambric Captain Macheath Charms cheat CHORUS Coaxer Courtiers Customer Daughter dear Lucy Death Dram drink Enter Lucy Enter Peachum Enter Polly ev'ry Exeunt Exit Eyes Father Fellow FILCH Fill every Glass flies fond Fool Friends Gamesters Gang Gentlemen Girl Guinea hadst Hand handsom hang hang'd happy hast hate hath hear Heart Hockley Honour hope Husband Hussy Jade JEMMY Jenny Diver Jointure keep Kiss Ladies leave thee Lips live LOCKIT Look ye Looking-glass Love Love or Money Madam Marriage married MATT Miss Polly Molly Brazen Money never Newgate Opera Paddington Papa Passion PLAYER Pleasure Polly's Account poor Polly's pretty Prey Prisoners promis'd Rascal Ruin ruin'd SCENE Session shew Slammekin Slut Sorrow steal Strong-Waters Suky sure tear thing thou thy Polly TRAPES TRULL Twas Villain VIXEN Wench Whore Wife Wine Wives Woman Women Wretch