Agenda
Rise and fall of the city of Mahagonny

Dutch National Opera

Rise and fall of the city of Mahagonny

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Mahagonny is a satirical parable by Kurt Weill and Bertolt Brecht about capitalism running rampant. There are no limits on what’s allowed in Mahagonny, as long as you can pay. Weill’s fusion of classical, jazz and popular tunes makes for a roller coaster musical production

Do as you please

After the success of their shorter Mahagonny Songspiel (1927), Weill and Brecht fleshed out the story to a full-length opera. But where the Mahagonny of the Songspiel still had echoes of paradise, the city’s sole purpose in Rise and fall of the city of Mahagonny is to separate people from their money. Here, everyone is free to do as they please – binge, booze, make love or war; the only sin is to have no money. In the end, Mahagonny goes up in flames.

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