The Beggar's Opera

When John Gay's The Beggar's Opera first appeared in 1728—less opera than musical pastiche, with new words grafted to melodies lifted from popular airs and serious arias, arranged by Johann Pepusch—the work was a huge success because of its scandalous shattering of tradition and satirical swipes at both political corruption and the social elite. But over the years, this tale of betrayal revolving around the highwayman Macheath, his many women, and various associates in the criminal underworld, has been transformed almost beyond recognition (and not just in Kurt Weill's The Threepenny Opera), increasingly exchanging its barbed scruffiness for something like quaint romantic gentility (as in the 1953 film adaptation starring Laurence Olivier). In this 1983 BBC television version, director Jonathan Miller returned to the opera's 18th-century roots, restoring much of its deliciously seedy quality, while going Gay one better for pure nastiness in the finale. The period-instrument English Baroque Soloists perform Jeremy Barlow's orchestrations stylishly under the baton of John Eliot Gardiner, while Roger Daltrey (lead singer of The Who) makes a surprisingly good Macheath (far superior to Olivier's tone-deaf croaking). The rest of the cast is comprised of actors who do their own singing with various degrees of success (Patricia Routledge is best, exhibiting her musical theatre experience as Mrs. Peachum), but all manage nicely, and give rich performances. The 25-year-old video quality is hardly the best, of course, but the transfer is good, and the PCM stereo soundtrack reasonably clear. Recommended. Aud: C, P. (F. Swietek)