The Threepenny Opera

With its legendary songs and a story about love, betrayal, business and morality, which was unashamedly and cleverly adapted to social criticism, the “Threepenny Opera” premiered by the Berliner Ensemble in 1928 became a worldwide surprise hit. “First comes food, then comes morality,” are the famous lines — but those who live in prosperity live pleasantly, but they are still far from being good. Mackie Messer, Peachum and co focus primarily on their own material advantage and make considerable theatrical effort to enforce it unscrupulously and at the same time disguise exactly that. Because who wouldn't want to be good?

With his interpretation, Barrie Kosky staged the fourth new production — at the location of its premiere almost 100 years ago.