THE BEGGAR'S OPERA With a Preface by A. P. Herbert

LIMITED EDITION, one of 1500 hand-numbered copies, SIGNED BY THE ILLUSTRATOR, Mariette Lydis. With 15 original lithograph plates by Mariette Lydis, printed in Paris by F. Mourlot. Folio, publisher's original royal blue cloth textured to resemble morocco, the covers blind embossed all-over with warrants and theatrical masks, in the centers of both boards is gilt mask with gilt lettering, the spine with raised bands ruled with gilt tools separating compartments with gilt central warrants, one compartment gilt lettered, t.e.g. In the original slipcase of buff paper-covered boards printed in blue on the backstrip. 122, [1] pp. A very fine copy, the book is as mint, fresh and clean in pristine bright blue cloth. The slipcase with some minor breakage to the paper along the seams but still strong and sturdy, minor rubbing and an abrasion to the cover paper on one side.

Edizione: one of only 1500 copies printed in france and signed by the illustrator. this especially tall and handsome production for the limited editions club was printed in lyon by count gioseppe govone on the presses of audin and cie. mariette ludis' large and dramatic lithography are a perfect complement to the story.<br> the beggar's opera is a bit of an oddity in theatrical history. written in 1728 it is one of the very few of the once-thriving genre of ballad operas to still remain popular today. in fact, success came very slowly for john gay's play. when it was first performed in 1728 it ran for only 62 shows. nearly 200 years later when it was revived by sir nigel playfair at the lyric in hammersmith, it ran for three and a half years! success may have come slowly, but once it did it came fantastically.