Threepenny Opera (1954) Vinyl LP • MGM Soundtrack, Bea Arthur, Kurt Weill

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Condition Details:

Vinyl plays with some crackles and a few light-clicks (play-graded). Cover has a few creases near edges; light-scuffing, (front/back); surface impressions on front, discoloration and dark discoloration spots on back. Inner-sleeve is original (MGM logo); one seam partially split. Spine has no text and has minor-wear and thatching. Minor shelf-wear along top/bottom-edge and corners. Opening is crisp with signs of light use and divots. (Not a cut-out.)

Tracks:

1. The Threepenny Opera

About The Record:

Threepenny Opera was the first cast recording of an Off-Broadway show, captures the landmark revival of Kurt Weill and Bertolt Brecht’s musical, translated by Marc Blitzstein, which ran for 2,611 performances at the Theatre de Lys in New York. Featuring a stellar cast including Lotte Lenya as Jenny, Scott Merrill as Macheath, and Jo Sullivan as Polly Peachum, the album showcases Weill’s sharp, jazzy score and Brecht’s biting social commentary, performed by an eight-piece band for a raw, intimate sound. Historically significant for establishing Off-Broadway as a legitimate theatrical platform, the album sold 180,000 copies in its first three years, outperforming all MGM LPs until Gigi in 1958. The recording faced censorship, with lyrics altered to remove references to profanity and sensitive themes, yet retained all musical numbers after debates led by Blitzstein and Lenya. The standout hit single, The Ballad of Mack the Knife, sung by Gerald Price, inspired Louis Armstrong’s and Bobby Darin’s chart-topping covers, cementing its cultural impact.