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The Beggar's Opera
About this book
John Gay's ballad opera, first staged in 1728, follows the highwayman Macheath among the thieves, fences, and beggars of London's underworld, satirising crime, politics, and Italian opera. It suits readers interested in eighteenth-century English drama, satire, and popular song.
John Gay
John Gay was an English poet and dramatist and member of the Scriblerus Club. He is best remembered for The Beggar's Opera (1728), a ballad opera. The characters, including Captain Macheath and Polly Peachum, became household names.
Biography from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0. Portrait: via Wikipedia (see source).
