Who wrote The Beggar's Opera?

Who wrote The Beggar's Opera?

• A. Jean Genet
• B. John Gay
• C. Beaumarchais
• D. Caryl Churchill

Answer: (B)

John Gay wrote The Beggar's Opera. This early 18th‑century London ballad opera pairs spoken dialogue with familiar tunes to lampoon politics and high society, using sharp satire that echoed the era’s public mood. It premiered in 1728, with Gay supplying the libretto and Johann Christoph Pepusch providing the music. The work helped popularize the ballad opera form and left a lasting mark on comic satire. The other names are from different times and contexts: Jean Genet was a 20th‑century French dramatist, Beaumarchais an 18th‑century French playwright whose famous pieces inspired later operas, and Caryl Churchill is a contemporary British writer. None of them authored this piece.

John Gay wrote The Beggar's Opera. This early 18th‑century London ballad opera pairs spoken dialogue with familiar tunes to lampoon politics and high society, using sharp satire that echoed the era’s public mood. It premiered in 1728, with Gay supplying the libretto and Johann Christoph Pepusch providing the music. The work helped popularize the ballad opera form and left a lasting mark on comic satire.

The other names are from different times and contexts: Jean Genet was a 20th‑century French dramatist, Beaumarchais an 18th‑century French playwright whose famous pieces inspired later operas, and Caryl Churchill is a contemporary British writer. None of them authored this piece.