A Dictionary of Music and Musicians/Beggar's Opera

BEGGAR'S OPERA, The. A celebrated piece, written in 1727 by John Gay, who was said to have been instigated to its production by a feeling of annoyance at having been offered a court appointment which he regarded as beneath him. It is also said to have had its origin in an observation of Swift's to its author, that 'a Newgate pastoral might make an odd pretty sort of thing.' Under the thin veil of exposing the vices of highwaymen, pickpockets, gaolers, receivers of stolen goods, and their confederates and associates, it bristles with keen, well-pointed satire on the corrupt and venal politicians and courtiers of the day, and of the prevailing fashionable entertainment—the Italian opera. It has been denied that there is any reference to the latter, because the style of the music of Italian operas is not burlesqued, but the fact is apparent from the introductory dialogue between the Beggar (the assumed author of the piece) and the Player, in which the former is made to say, 'I have introduc'd the similes that are in all your celebrated operas; the Swallow, the Moth, the Bee, the Ship, the Flower, etc. Besides, I have a prison scene, which the ladies always reckon charmingly pathetick. As to the parts I have observed such a nice impartiality to our two ladies, that it is impossible for either of them to take offence.' The allusion in the last sentence to the deadly feud between Cuzzoni and Faustina, which in 1727 divided the fashionable world into two violently hostile factions, is so palpable as to cause surprise at its having been overlooked. 'The Beggar's Opera' was first offered to Colley Cibber for Drury Lane Theatre, but being rejected by him was accepted by John Rich, and brought out at Lincoln's Inn Fields Theatre, Jan. 29, 1727-28. Its success was decisive: it was performed sixty-two nights (not consecutive) during the season, and immediately afterwards played all over England, in Ireland, Scotland, and even in Minorca. By the time it had reached its thirty-sixth re-presentation Rich had netted nearly £4000, whilst Gay's four 'author's nights' had produced him £693 13s. 6d.; whence it was said that it had made Gay rich and Rich gay. The songs were all written either to ballad tunes (English and Scotch, some of considerable antiquity), or the tunes of the most popular songs of the day. These tunes, sixty-nine in number, were arranged and scored by Dr. Pepusch, who also composed an overture for the piece. They were chosen with great judgment, and to them its remarkable success was in a great degree attributable. The rage for 'The Beggar's Opera' shewed itself in its scenes and songs appearing on fans and screens, in the attire of Lavinia Fenton (the performer of Polly) becoming the pattern for that of ladies of fashion, and in the temporary desertion of the Italian Opera. Hogarth published an engraving representing a scene in Act II. Some of the songs were said to have received finishing touches from the hand of Pope. The success of 'The Beggar's Opera' led to the production of a host of other pieces with songs written to ballad tunes, and thence denominated Ballad-Operas. [English Opera.]

[ W. H. H. ]