[shakalakababy]

hi i'm new here

I've just recently gotten obsessed with the threepenny opera (specifically the revival that was recently on Broadway) and i was sad to learn that they were not going to make a cast recording of it . Anyways i know there are a couple of versions out there but which one would you guys recommend, or which one is more like the revival i guess? yeah. anyways i was also wondering if the other recording had the "ballad of the pimp" song that they performed at the tonys. I couldn't find it on any of the tracklists i looked at but i thought it might have a different name on other recordings. thanks so much

[Salome]

Threepenny Operac..one of the finest musicals ever written. was originally written in german. so all the versions you will hear in english are translations. the "Ballad of the Pimp" can be found on various albums as "Tango Ballad" "song of Hard Knocks" etc...

The best two versions ive found in english are the Raul Julia/Ellen Greene version from 1978 translation by John Willett. and the 1997 Donmar Warehouse version directed by Sam Mendes.

both evoke Brecht's gritty themes,politic and lyrics quite well.

the 1956 off broadway revival with translation by Marc Blitztien is historically important but the blitztien lyrics fall flat..they dont pack the punch of the two versions mentioned above.

if you want the show in its original german the 1928 version with Lotte Lenya and Marlene Dietrich is recently on c.d. as is a great studio recording with Ute Lemper from the 1990s.

[shakalakababy]

wow that helps a lot! thanks so much

[LHSTrombone]

I wish I could find a script for the London revival that was in...1998...I believe