#rise and fall of the city of Mahagonny

[michael-weinstein]

am i the only one who find similarites between Rise and Fall of the City of Mahagonny and the l’manburg arc

[infinitelytheheartexpands]

Month of New Operatic Works, Round 2, #2: Rise and Fall of the City of Mahagonny (Met, 1979): Reactions, Part III

once again the jazz is a great vibe

reverse “Nessun dorma”

this is really haunting

I mean...

this bops but why are these three in charge of the trial

five seconds later: *the defendant, having bribed the three of them, is found not guilty*

why does everyone insist on wearing bad ties

“no bribe, no innocence”

uh...you were the one who offered her to him in the first place

and y’all went with it

Bill is a good friend and has a point

Dramatic Zoom-In Of Shock Horror

for failing to pay for three (3) bottles of whiskey and one (1) billiard cue. way harsh.

welcome to capitalism

does the audience just have an exceptionally dark sense of humor

this bops

okay I can see why the audience laughed at this

awwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww

honestly? precious

and look where we’re at now

Area Tenor Realizes He Fucked Up

true...

ooh!!! a play within a play!!!

the soundscape is just so cool

I mean...

this scene is so cool

poor Jenny

the Alabama Song is back!!!!

welcome to 2021

okay this was amazing y’all

[monotonous-minutia]

this is such a mood though

[devilishlyoperatic]

I am utterly OBSESSED with the idea of directing a production of Rise and Fall of the City of Mahagonny using my hometown of Birmingham, Alabama.

Industrial city that rose out of nowhere in the American south around the turn of the century? Check.

Long history of capitalist corruption in all levels of government? Check.

Very bad weather during the warm months? Check.

Racial injustice that, while not present in the text of the opera in on a passing reading in the text, would do a lot to hit the themes of the libretto home and render the opera even more culturally relevant? Check.

An opportunity to use the world’s largest cast iron statue (that happens to be pantsless) to give new and hilarious meaning to the song “Moon of Alabama?” Check-a-fuckin’-roo.

Opera companies, hire me

[odk-2]

Lotte Lenya and The Three Admirals - Alabama Song (1930) (Aufstieg und Fall der Stadt Mahagonny / Rise and Fall of the City of Mahagonny) Bertolt Brecht / Kurt Weill from "Kurt Weill: Die Dreigroschenoper (Berlin, 1930)"         "Kurt Weill: Threepenny Opera Dreigroschenoper Berlin 1930          Songs & Chanson"           (2017)

Lotte Lenya

*** ***

The Doors - Alabama Song (Whisky Bar) (1967): https://tmblr.co/ZoHQpk1xXYi6u

[dreaming-about-the-dead]

This Saturday was the last presentation of Rise and Fall of the City of Mahagonny, the play my classroom chose to end our last semester of teather college. And damn I have so many things to say about this incredibly hard journey.

When we first decided which play we were going to make, I was beyond elated to be part of Mahagonny. My enthusiasm only grew when I discovered I would be playing the part of Widow Begbick, the same role Patti LuPone played when she herself was part of this opera written by Bertolt Brecht. At the same time I was ecstatic, I was also nervous; this role was like a huge weight of responsibility on my shoulders. How could I ever play a role Patti LuPone played? How could I be as good as her? Never. I figured I had to create Leokadja Begbick my way.

And that's what I did; and through months of rehearsal and creative work a snake was born. My Begbick was alive, and she slithered through my veins, cold as ice and venomous as the deadliest rattlesnake. Her poison fueled my being and she gave me the power I needed to get through 5 gigs in high heels and an embroidered shirt so heavy I kept sweating profusely whenever I put that on.

As I put my costume and make-up I was no longer Giovanna, the insecure, introverted and absent girl. I was Leokadja Begbick, a woman; a woman so torn by her life that she became an indestructible shell of herself, the thickest skin of a snake, and the will to destroy everything that came her way. I was fuelled by poison, hate and selfishness. And let me tell you, it was the most gratifying feeling I've ever felt in a long time.

I've played older, cold women before, but never someone as deprived of goodness and morals as Begbick. Being an actress is great because of things like that. You can feel like a piece of shit when you're being just yourself, but when you allow a character to take control of your body, you're not yourself anymore, and for a moment you can even forget how insecure, shitty or fragile you feel. I like to think the characters I play to be my friends, and to some extent, they all could get along with me without any troubles. But would Begbick be my friend if she met me?

No, she wouldn't. She would step on me the moment she saw how insecure I am. She would destroy me and probably prostitute me without even thinking twice. And I took that in consideration when I molded her character. And, to be honest, I think she was the best character I've ever did in a long time.

Here's a picture of me playing one of my favorite scenes in the play; the hurricane. That was the moment I poured all my spite and hatred towards every human being sitting in the audience, and that was the moment I felt this woman's poison in my veins the most intensely. I don't know if I'll miss Begbick of if I'm just so relieved to get rid of her. It's a love/hate relationship I guess.

Anyway, there was a picture I kept as my phone wallpaper since February because I knew looking at it would give me strength and the inspiration I needed to get through everything. And it's a picture of Patti LuPone, most specifically, this picture.

Now, this could go terribly wrong if I allowed it so, and sometimes it did. There were times when I looked at this picture and I all I wanted to do was cry, because I saw myself beneath her feet, unable to get up and subjugated to an extent I couldn't even do anything about it. There were times when I knew I would never get this role right, and I would only ashame myself and everyone else in my class. There were times when I looked at it and I imagined her lifting me up and slapping me to come to my senses and get my shit together, and I beamed with joy, because I knew I was doing the right thing. I'm glad to look at it now that everything is over and smile knowing that I did a good job. And I can even imagine Patti's Begbick giving me a cold nod of acknowledgement.

Every moment I spent waiting for the play to begin I prayed for two people: my grandmother, who's always with me on stage in the form of an earring, a necklace, or in this case, a snake brooch she had; and Patti LuPone, whom I thanked thoroughly for being my inspiration and my strength during these hard months. Without her, I don't know if I would be able to even get this character out of the script and into real life. I owe Leokadja Begbick to her, and in a way, I guess she would be proud of me.

I keep saying that I don't want to act anymore, and well, I guess I'm constantly lying to myself, because when I step in the stage that's when my soul is in peace. Those floorboards are my solace, as hard as they can be. That sacred place is my home. How could I ever deny my home?

Thank you, Leokadja Begbick for filling me with the power to get through it all.

Thank you grandma, for giving me luck and always be with me when I'm on the stage... I just wish you could be here with me.

Thank you Patti LuPone, for being my inspiration and my guidance to mold this character the right way; without you, my will to be part of this play would never exist.

Thank you Brecht, for being the badass writer and poet who wrote this amazing piece of work. You had no idea, but Mahagonny is the perfect portrait of my country's situation right now. The city you created is the city I'm living in today.

And lastly, thank you Dionysus, for allowing me to step into your sacred temple, thank you for sheltering my soul.

[jempai]

how is she so good 

[animatealaopera]

Which of these operas do you prefer? Macbeth, Don Giovanni, Parsifal, L’incoronazione di Poppea or Rise and fall of the city of Mahagonny?.Five operas etirely different between them, the five of them have been produced  by Marcelo Lombardero in three different theatres. Amazing productions all of them, always focus on the dramatism of the stories finding new and modern points of view. I love that!!!!

I think that Mahagonny and Poppea were the best. 

[kokoricharmed]

Ok but is there a full video of the 2007 Mahagonny with Audra McDonald and Patti LuPone online?

[tinkertonkseven]

[infinitelytheheartexpands]

Month of New Operatic Works, Round 2, #2: Rise and Fall of the City of Mahagonny (Met, 1979): Reactions, Part II

ominous indeed. I don’t think Weill gets enough credit as a symphonist

crisis averted (although I’m not sure why the audience keeps laughing during this part)

welcome to the jazz version of the Purge

I got them baby-back, baby-back, baby-back, baby-back ribs...

(forgot what commercial that’s from but yeah)

uh rip I guess?

this kinda reminds me of The Rake’s Progress for some reason even though these two things are very different

“hey that ain’t fair you don’t get to keep most of the profit when I’m the one doing the work”

well they will be after sticking his used chewing gum onto the bottom of his dirty shoe

the Met can’t even get the subtitles fully right in English lol

this is lovely

Paul Plishka is wonderful but I have to ask who thought that tie was a good idea

friends forever

down for the count

correction: permanently down

“life is meaningless so let’s get drunk y’all”

that’s a pool table

this bops

now if only Ascanio the well-dressed apprentice could come on in and save everyone because there is a precedent for him doing that

she’s a queen

I KNEW IT WAS GONNA BACKFIRE ON HIM

seriously she is just SO fabulous

y’all are hypocrites

oh honey

[through-my-memoirs]

Frances Ruffelle sings Alabama Song from Rise and Fall of the City of Mahagonny [54 Below, 22 May 2013]

[elflady]

chromolume literally only made a dumb bread pun but now I have the urge to watch Mahagonny WHY IS IT ALWAYS THIS WAY

[klaranovaks]

Teresa Stratas sings "Alabama Song" in Weill and Brecht's Rise and Fall of the City of Mahagonny at the Metropolitan Opera in 1979

I would love to see this entire broadcast. As always, Stratas is absolutely electric, her characterization as strong as her singing. You can see why Lotte Lenya trusted her with so many of Kurt Weill's unrecorded songs; Stratas is probably my favorite interpreter of Weill's music.

[jindywahr]

Oh, show me the way to the next whisky bar Oh, don't ask why Oh, don't ask why

[dreaming-about-the-dead]

Sooo it's been a while since I haven't done any of my moodboards, so I decided to make one for the character I'm playing in my theater college production! Here's my take on Widow Begbick from Rise and fall of the city of Mahagonny. My construction of this character led her to be a cold, ruthless business woman who once was a former prostitute, but now she owns the girls and manages the town along with Willy and Moses. Her looks are inspired by Miranda Priestly, and she has a hint of snake on her clothes as well as attitude. She is driven by ambition and she does literally everything to make money out of people. She's immoral, sassy and deadly.