Václav Havel's Beggar's Opera with English subtitles
October 2009 - Prague's Švandovo Theatre often presents plays with English subtitles for non-Czech speakers. In November there will be two performances of Havel's classic adaptation of the 18th-century ballad opera by John Gay.
The Beggar's Opera, with English subtitles (photo: Švandovo Divadlo)
Perhaps the best-known musical adaptation of Gay's opera was The Threepenny Opera by Berthold Brecht and Kurt Weill, but Havel's is perhaps the best non-musical adaptation.
The original opera was written in 1728, Havel's adaptation is from 1972 and the events, like in the original, take place in the underworld of 18th-century London, his version was a clear commentary on life in Czechoslovakia under communism and Soviet occupation. In 1991, Czech director Jiří Menzel made the play into a movie.
The Beggar's Opera plays November 12 and 17 at Švandovo Theatre, Štefánikova 57, Prague 5-Smichov. Tickets are CZK 220-290 and can be ordered online.
