A stinging critique of capitalist society, 'The Seven Deadly Sins' brings into sharp focus the perpetual battle between money and morals.

Created by the trail-blazing duo of the Weimer Republic, Kurt Weill and Bertold Brecht, the satirical ballet-chanté 'The Seven Deadly Sins' was to be the pair's final collaboration. Hitler had come to power, and the Jewish Weill and Marxist Brecht had both left Germany in haste.

Weill was to come to terms with capitalist America more readily than Brecht, writing a series of popular musicals for Broadway with other collaborators. But, in 'The Seven Deadly Sins', Brecht’s pen is still dripping with venom as he excoriates the continent's sleazy, materialistic values, the biblical septet of vices here given a contemporary twist.

The story tells of daughter Anna (Magdalena Kožená), who is sent away from her family, tasked with bringing back enough money to build a house on the Mississippi River. Through seven years and seven cities—from Memphis and Los Angeles to Philadelphia and San Francisco—Anna encounters the seven deadly sins, and is forced to make her choice between what is profitable and what is right.

Sir Simon Rattle, the London Symphony Orchestra and a star-studded line-up of soloists bring this shamelessly entertaining work to life alongside a collection of Weill's other most memorable works, including Death in the Forest and Little Threepenny Music.

Generously supported by the Jeremy and John Sacher Charitable Trust.

Funded in part by The Kurt Weill Foundation for Music, Inc., New York, NY

Composer Kurt Weill
Conductor Sir Simon Rattle
Performers Magdalena Kožená, Andrew Staples, Florian Boesch, Ross Ramgobin, Alessandro Fisher, London Symphony Orchestra

The Seven Deadly Sins
1. Prologue
2. Sloth
3. Pride
4. Wrath
5. Gluttony
6. Lust
7. Greed
8. Envy
9. Epilogue

Death in the Forest, Op. 23
10. Death in the Forest, Op. 23

Street Scene
11. Act I, Lonely House

Four Walt Whitman Songs
12. I. Beat! Beat! Drums!
13. IV. Dirge for Two Veterans

Little Threepenny Music
14. Overture
15. The Ballad of Mack the Knife
16. Instead of...
17. Ballad of the Pleasant Life
18. Polly's Song
19. Tango Ballad
20. Cannon Song
21. Threepenny Finale

Release Date 17 January 2025
LSO0880 | 0822231188025
LSO0880-D | 0822231188063

Producer Andrew Cornall
Engineers Jonathan Stokes and Neil Hutchinson for Classic Sound Ltd
Recorded 28 April 2022 in the Barbican Hall, London

Booklet in English, French & German

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