jan 1, 1728 - The Beggar's Opera

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by John Gay. A ballad opera written in English, in which spoken dialogue replaced the recitative of opera seria; the score consisted entirely of popular songs arranged by a German expatriate composer named Johann Pepusch. While fifteen performances for a Handel opera was considered succesful, this cynical slap in teh face of "noble" entertainments had an unprecedented run of more than sixty performances during its first season and was revived nearly every season for the rest of the eighteenth century and beyond. The success of The Beggar's Opera was a foreshadowing that opera seria, even Handel's would no longer be taken seriously by the English audience.

As operatic bankruptcy loomed, these experiences gave Handel the idea that the English public might welcome a new style of oratorio tailored to its tastes and interests and sung in its own language. The result was Saul, which was different than other oratorios and reflected the ups and downs of the BRitish entertainment market.

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