Prologue

After the overture, the Street Singer comes onstage with a barrel organ and sings of the notorious bandit and womanizer Macheath, Mack the Knife (Moritat von Mackie Messer). The setting is a fair in Soho (London), just before Queen Victoria’s coronation.

Act I

Act I begins in the shop of Jonathan Peachum (Morgenchoral des Peachum), who controls London’s beggars, equipping and training them in return for a cut of their “earnings.” He enrolls a new beggar with the help of his wife, after which they notice that their grown daughter Polly did not come home the previous night (Anstatt-dass Song). The scene shifts to an empty stable where Macheath is about to marry Polly, as soon as his gang has stolen and brought all the necessary food and furnishings (Hochzeitslied). No vows are exchanged, but Polly is satisfied, and everyone sits down to a banquet. Since none of the gang members can provide fitting entertainment, Polly does it herself (Seeräuberjenny). The gang gets nervous when Chief of Police Tiger Brown arrives, but Brown turns out to be an old army buddy of Mack’s (Kanonensong) who has saved him from arrest all these years. Everyone else exits and Mack and Polly celebrate their love (Liebeslied). Then Polly returns home and defiantly announces her marriage (Barbarasong). She stands fast against Mr. and Mrs. Peachum’s anger, but she does let slip Mack’s ties to Brown. This revelation gives Mr. and Mrs. Peachum an idea about how to snare Mack, and the trio meditates on the world’s corruption (Erstes Dreigroschenfinale).

Act II

Polly tells Mack that her father will have him arrested. He makes arrangements to leave London, explaining his bandit “business” to Polly so she can manage it in his absence, and he departs (Melodram and Pollys Lied). Polly decisively takes over the gang as Mrs. Peachum bribes Jenny, Mack’s old lover, to turn him in (Ballade von der sexuellen Hörigkeit). On the way out of London, Mack stops at his favorite brothel to visit Jenny (Zuhälterballade). Brown arrives and apologetically arrests Mack, who goes to jail. He bribes the guard to remove his handcuffs (Ballade vom angenehmen Leben); then another girlfriend, Lucy–Brown’s daughter–and Polly show up at the same time, leading to a nasty argument (Eifersuchtsduett). After Polly leaves, Lucy engineers Mack’s escape. When Mr. Peachum finds out, he threatens to unleash the beggars during the coronation parade and forces Brown to go after Mack. The action stops for another meditation on the unpleasant human condition (Zweites Dreigroschenfinale).

Act III

Jenny comes to the Peachums’ shop to demand her bribe money, which Mrs. Peachum refuses to pay. Jenny reveals that Mack is at Suky Tawdry’s house. When Brown arrives, determined to arrest Peachum and the beggars, he is horrified to learn that the beggars are already in position and only Mr. Peachum can stop them (Lied von der Unzulänglichkeit menschlichen Strebens). To placate Peachum, Brown’s only option is to arrest Mack and have him executed. Jenny mourns Mack’s plight (Salomonsong). In the next scene, Mack is back in jail (Ruf aus der Gruft). He begs the gang to raise a sufficient bribe, but they cannot (Ruf aus der Gruft part 2). A parade of visitors–Brown, Jenny, Peachum, and Polly–enters as Mack prepares to die (Grabschrift). Then a sudden reversal: A messenger on horseback arrives to announce that Macheath has been pardoned by the Queen and granted a castle and pension (Drittes Dreigroschenfinale).