Threepenny Opera in Wismar: A theater classic returns!

Threepenny Opera in Wismar: A theater classic returns!

This year Wismar will once again be the setting for a very special cultural event. The Theater Summer 2025 invites all theater lovers to experience one of the most famous theater performances in the world: the “Threepenny Opera” by Bertolt Brecht. The performances take place in the picturesque St. George's Church and run until August 9th. The production began on July 4th with a premiere that thrilled the audience.

The “Threepenny Opera” tells the gripping story of Mackie Messer, a gang boss in London who falls in love with Polly Peachum. Polly's father, Jonathan Peachum, fears that Mackie will ruin his business and betrays him. In a dramatic game of power and betrayal, Mackie flees to a whorehouse, but is betrayed and wrongfully arrested by his ex-lover Jenny. His lover Lucy, the daughter of Police Chief Brown, is his last resort, but things take a dark turn when Mackie is captured again and sentenced to death. But surprisingly he is excused by Police Chief Brown and elevated to the nobility.

A play with tradition

The “Threepenny Opera” was premiered on August 31, 1928 in the Theater am Schiffbauerdamm in Berlin and has since become a classic. Brecht's production, which shows criminals, beggars and directors, breaks with the usual patterns in the theater at the time and focuses on social injustices. The play addresses the misery and desperation of people at a time when poverty was widespread and many former soldiers lived on the streets.

The most famous song from the performance, “The Morality of Mackie Messer,” is now a worldwide hit and has been covered by numerous artists, including Louis Armstrong and Frank Sinatra. Director Holger Mahlich places particular emphasis on the vocal abilities of the actors, while a seven-piece stage orchestra with 15 instruments provides the musical accompaniment. The cast for the Wismar performance is prominent and includes, among others, Manon Strachè as Mrs. Peachum and Jens Wawrczeck as Mr. Peachum.

Performance details and tickets

Performances of The Threepenny Opera take place Thursday through Saturday at 7:30 p.m., with a special family and senior-friendly performance on August 9 at 4:30 p.m. Tickets are available both online and at the box office. In addition to the production in Wismar, the theater summer joins an illustrious list of performance venues, which also include the Berliner Ensemble and the Howard Gilman Opera House in New York.

The Wismar Theater Summer is supported by partners and sponsors, including the Nordwestmecklenburg district. This shows the great commitment to cultural events in the region. If you would like to get a ticket, you can do so on the website theatersommer-wismar.de do.

With the “Threepenny Opera”, Wismar provides a summer highlight that appeals to art and theater lovers alike. A visit is worth it!

For further information about the “Threepenny Opera” and the performances in Wismar, please also read Culture MV and Northwest Mecklenburg. The changes that Brecht's work has brought about in the theater landscape over the years are also notable and well documented Geo.