Seven Deadly Sins & Mahagonny Songspiel: A Kurt Weill Double Bill

This captivating double bill features two iconic works by Kurt Weill and Bertolt Brecht, blending sharp social commentary with powerful music and drama.

The Seven Deadly Sins (1933) is a unique ballet-scenic opera that follows the journey of one woman with two distinct personas, Anna I and Anna II, as she navigates the temptations of seven American cities, each representing one of the deadly sins. Through her contrasting personalities—Anna I's practical and morally driven nature versus Anna II's hedonistic tendencies—the piece explores her moral conflicts and the consequences of her actions. Weill's score, paired with Brecht's libretto, creates a striking fusion of opera, musical theatre, and cabaret, making for a thought-provoking and visually dynamic experience.

Mahagonny-Songspiel (1927), a precursor to the more expansive opera The Rise and Fall of the City of Mahagonny, offers a satirical glimpse into the rise and inevitable fall of the fictional city of Mahagonny. In this work, the city becomes a symbol of moral decay, where pleasure and excess rule unchecked. Through a series of musical scenes, Weill and Brecht expose the contradictions and excesses of a capitalist society, using biting humour and vivid imagery to critique the pursuit of unbridled indulgence.