SLOGI and Drama lecture and discussion series
Primož Jesenko, M.A., will present the history of productions of The Threepenny Opera in Slovenian theatres.
‘A play with music in ten scenes’, Die Dreigroschenoper (1928), adapted by Bertolt Brecht and Kurt Weill from translations of John Gay’s 18th-century English ballad opera The Beggar’s Opera and four ballads by François Villon, was staged ten times in Slovenian theatres between 1937 and 2017. In Germany, The Threepenny Opera was a major success. Similarly, the history of its productions in Slovenia has been shaped by some of the most outstanding actors, who are today inscribed in the historical and personal memory of the theatre. The Threepenny Opera always tests the condition of its theatrical environment, regardless of the aesthetic impact and innovation of the staging. It is an intriguing, if not difficult, task to coordinate its production. It is noteworthy, however, that several eminent Slovenian theatre critics never wrote about The Threepenny Opera; the productions either escaped their attention in terms of timing, or did not fit in, as a combination of entertainment and social criticism, with their criteria and preferences. Following the long line of directors—Bojan Stupica, Mile Korun, France Jamnik, Peter Lotschak, Jan Skotnicki, Vinko Möderndorfer, Matjaž Zupančič, Tatjana Peršuh, and Vito Taufer—the staging of The Threepenny Opera in 2025 will be directed by Mateja Koležnik.
Thursday, 13 March 2025 at 18.00 in SNT Opera and Ballet Ljubljana, Orfejev Salon
