Following its premiere in Berlin in 1928, The Threepenny Opera was an overnight phenomenon. Written by Bertolt Brecht and Elisabeth Hauptmann with music by Kurt Weill, it was a gamechanger for the genre of music theatre.

The Berliner Ensemble, founded by Brecht himself, is joined by Barrie Kosky for this production, which opens with the iconic song ‘Die Moritat von Mackie Messer’, now better-known as the jazz standard ‘Mack the Knife’. Kosky, the former Artistic Director of Komische Oper Berlin, returns to the Festival following his acclaimed production of Eugene Onegin in 2019.

The story follows notorious criminal Mack the Knife, who has recently married Polly Peachum. Her father is determined to have Mack the Knife hanged. Based on John Gay’s The Beggar’s Opera, this satire of capitalist society is a story about love, betrayal and morality.

A touch tour for blind or partially sighted audience members is available before the 5pm performance on 20 August. Find out more.

Supported by Vivienne and Robin Menzies