Opera in three acts.

Text by Bertolt Brecht and Kurt Weill.

Performance Information
Synopsis
Recordings

Scene from original production, Leipzig, 1930.

Performance Information

English title: Rise and Fall of the City of Mahagonny
Cast: Leokadja Begbick (mezzo-soprano), Fatty (tenor), Trinity Moses (baritone), Jenny Hill (soprano), Jimmy Mahoney (tenor), Jack O'Brien (tenor), Bill (baritone), Joe (bass), Tobby Higgins (tenor), Chorus of six girls and the men of Mahagonny.
Orchestra: 2 (2 picc).1.1.sop. sax, alto sax, tenor sax.2 (cbn); 2.3.2.1; piano, harmonium ad lib., banjo, bass guitar, bandoneon, timp, perc; strings
Stage orchestra - 2 Fl (2 picc), 2 cl, 3 sax (sop., alto, ten.) 2 bn; 2.2.2.1; piano, zither or xylophone, banjo, bandoneon, perc.; 3 vn.
Duration: full evening
Published Editions: libretto, Universal Edition, UE 9852
revised piano-vocal score (David Drew, 1969), Universal Edition, UE 9851
Performance Rights and Rentals: USA, UK, BREV: EAMC
All other territories: UE
Authorized Translations: English -- David Drew & Michael Geliot; Arnold Weinstein & Lys Symonette; Michael Feingold
French -- Jean-Claude Hémery & Geneviève Serrau
Italian -- Fedele d'Amico
First production: March 9, 1930, Leipzig, Städtisches Theater, Walter Brügmann, dir., Gustav Brecher, cond.

Guide to orchestration, territory abbreviations, and publishers' symbols.

Synopsis

Act I

Somewhere in America. Three criminals on the lam--Fatty, Trinity Moses, and the Widow Begbick--are stranded in the desert after their truck breaks down. Begbick decrees that they will found a city called Mahagonny, a utopia of pleasure and idleness, but really a snare and a money pit ("Aber dieses ganze Mahagonny"). The city grows quickly, soon populated by prostitutes, led by Jenny ("Alabama Song"), and dissatisfied bourgeoisie ("Wir wohnen in den Städten"). Then a group of lumberjacks arrives from Alaska ("Auf nach Mahagonny"), lured by the city's reputation. Begbick welcomes them as they introduce themselves ("Wenn man an einen fremden Strand kommt"): Jim (the leader), Bill, Jack, and Joe. She brings on the girls and the lumberjacks bargain for them ("Ach, bedenken Sie"). Jenny winds up with Jim ("Ich habe gelernt"). Begbick and her partners lament their inadequate income and decide to pack up and leave ("Ach dieses Mahagonny"), but they change their minds when more suckers arrive. Jim and the lumberjacks are also dissatisfied because there is not enough action ("Wunderbar ist das Heraufkommen des Abends"). A pianist plays "The Maiden’s Prayer" in a hotel lobby, prompting Jim to continue his lament ("Tief in Alaskas schneeweissen Wäldern"). Then a hurricane approaches the city and everyone cowers in fear ("O furchtbares Ereignis") except Jim, who takes advantage of the impending catastrophe to declare that henceforth nothing will be prohibited in Mahagonny ("Wenn es etwas gibt").

Act II

Mahagonny is inexplicably unharmed by the hurricane ("O wunderbare Lösung"), and the inhabitants resume their revels ("Erstens, vergesst nicht kommt das Fressen"). A series of tableaux follows: eating, sex, boxing, and drinking. Jack eats himself to death ("Jetzt hab' ich gegessen zwei Kälber"), the men of Mahagonny line up for the prostitutes ("Mandalay Song"), and Joe dies in a boxing match with Trinity Moses ("Wir, meine Herren"). Jim invites everyone for a round of drinks ("Freunde, kommt, ich lade euch ein"), but he tells Jenny that he is out of money when the bill comes. He proposes that they escape to Alaska together, and the crowd enacts a voyage inside the bar. Then Jim admits to Begbick that he cannot pay, and he is bound and thrown into prison. When Begbick asks Jenny if she will pay for Jim, she disavows all responsibility ("Denn wie man sich bettet, so liegt man"). The chorus intones an ominous warning for Jim ("Lasst euch nicht verführen").

Act III

Jim languishes in prison, awaiting his trial the next morning ("Wenn der Himmel hell wird"). When court convenes ("Haben alle Zuschauer Billette?"), a murderer is freed before Jim's trial. Jim appeals to his last remaining friend, Bill, for money, but Bill refuses. Fatty, Moses, and Begbick convict Jim summarily on numerous charges, but he is condemned to death because he failed to pay his bar tab ("Jetzt kommt der Hauptpunkt der Anklage"). Jenny and others complain that they have nowhere else to go ("Benares Song"). Jim is executed, and the remaining residents lapse further into discontent ("An einem grauen Vormittag"). First Begbick, then all the others, display protest placards with contradictory slogans ("Können einem toten Mann nicht helfen"), and it is clear that the city of Mahagonny will not survive.

Note: A duet for Jenny and Jim, the "Kraniche-Duett" (Crane Duet), was composed for the original production of the opera and may be placed in either the second or third act or omitted.

Recordings