The Precursor of modern musicals

The Beggar's Opera consists on three acts and a prologue. It is written by John Gay and the music is composed by Johann Christoph Pepusch.
It is considered as the first musical comedy. 
The Beggar's opera is a satirical ballade wich talks about the low class, thieves and prostitutes in NewGate. 

In fact John Gay gives his opinion of opera by creating an anti-opera that satirizes italian operas and how the high class is interested in it.
It had its premiere the 29 of January of 1728 in the Lincoln Inn Friend theatre, in London. It had a lot of success and John Gay became very famous because of the opera.

 Since then, The Beggar's Opera has been interpretating in many theatres along the world