Ópera do Malandro

Ópera do Malandro is a 1979 Brazilian musical play written by Chico Buarque and directed by Luiz Antônio Martinez Corrêa.

The play is inspired by the classic Beggar's Opera of John Gay and the Threepenny Opera, of Bertolt Brecht and Kurt Weill. It is also a posthumous tribute to Paulo Pontes (1940–1976).

Synopsis and analysis
The Ópera do Malandro reveals past features of Brazilian culture that still persist.

A pimp called Duran disguises himself as a successful salesman. Vitória was a madam who also lived by prostituting herself. Her daughter, Teresinha, had fallen in love with an upper-class citizen, Max Overseas, a man that lived off corruption in complicity with the chief police officer, Chaves. The other characters are prostitutes, presented as saleswomen in a clothes store, and the promiscuous transvestite Geni, who was frequently attacked with rocks; people used to say she was "useful" because of this.

The play's action takes place in the 1940s; its theme: gambling prohibition, prostitution and smuggling. Then it shows a context similar to the third millennium, with piracy and other black-market activities.

Max Overseas really works in international businesses, even on the threshold of legality, in collusion with a pimp and the chief Police officer.

All of the songs are composed by Chico, who, due to his brightness, manages to make them in harmony with the text. The song Geni e o Zepelim (the overture), tells about a transvestite whose only gift or skill is to be a "whipping-post" for the neighborhood. This fact, that is only revealed to spectators of the show, means that she has no value.

Nevertheless, when the captain of a bright zeppelin intends to bombard the city, accepting to change his mind only if he had a one night stand with the transvestite, all the citizens ask her to consent to the captain's desires.

The songs follow the pattern of rhymed and metrical verses, according to the intellectual tradition of the author's family.

Technical staff (first performance)
The official source gives the following information:

Crew:
 * General director: Luiz Antônio Martinez Corrêa
 * Assistant to the general director: João Carlos Motta
 * Scenography: Maurício Sette
 * Scenography assistant: Rita Murtinho
 * Musical director: John Neschling
 * Assistant to the musical director: Paulo Sauer
 * Arrangement: John Neschling, Paulo Sauer
 * Interpretative vocal director: Glorinha Beutenmuller
 * Corporal director: Fernando Pinto
 * Lighting: Jorge Carvalho
 * Script: Maurício Arraes

Cast - in order of appearance:


 * The producer: Ary Fontoura
 * The matriarch: Maria Alice Vergueiro
 * João Alegre: Nadinho Da Ilha
 * Duran: Ary Fontoura
 * Vitória: Maria Alice Vergueiro
 * Teresinha: Marieta Severo
 * Max: Otávio Augusto
 * Lúcia: Elba Ramalho
 * Geni: Emiliano Queirós
 * Barrabás: Ivens Godinho
 * Johnny Walker: Vander De Castro
 * Phillip Morris: Paschoal Villamboim
 * Big Bem: Ivan De Almeida
 * General Eletric: Vicente Barcelos
 * Dóris Pelanca: Ilva Nino
 * Fichinha: Cidinha Milan
 * Dorinha Tubão: Elza De Andrade
 * Shirley Paquete: Neusa Borges
 * Jussara Pé De Anjo: Maria Alves
 * Mimi Bibelô: Cláudia Jimenez

Track list
Songs used in the play are:


 * O malandro (Mack the Knife) (B.Brecht, K.Weill)
 * Hino de Duran (Chico Buarque)
 * Viver de amor (Chico Buarque)
 * Uma canção desnaturada (Chico Buarque)
 * Tango do Covil (Chico Buarque)
 * Dez anos (Chico Buarque)
 * O casamento dos pequenos burgueses (Chico Buarque)
 * Teresinha (Chico Buarque)
 * Homenagem ao malandro (Chico Buarque)
 * Folhetim (Chico Buarque)
 * Ai, se eles me pegam agora (Chico Buarque)
 * O meu amor (Chico Buarque)
 * Se eu fosse o teu patrão (Chico Buarque)
 * Geni e o Zepelim (Chico Buarque)
 * Pedaço de mim (Chico Buarque)
 * Ópera do Malandro (Adpt. e texto de Chico Buarque sobre trechos de "Rigoletto" de Verdi, "Carmen" de Bizet, "Aida" de Verdi, "La Traviata" de Verdi e Taunhauser de Wagner)
 * O malandro nº 2 (Mack the Knife) (Chico Buarque)

Reception
Most critics were positive, complimenting the veracity of its portrayal of the hypocritical Brazilian society of the 40-70's.