Dear Sophie -
BERTOLT BRECHT was an innovative avant garde German playwright who often collaborated with the composer KURT WEILL and Weill's wife, the singer/actress LOTTE LENYA. Brecht believed that theater could be an effective forum for political ideas and social change.
His most famous production was THE THREEPENNY OPERA with the memorable song MACK THE KNIFE, a Marxist critique of the capitalist world. Told from Berlin in the 1920's where there was corruption among the rich, and deprivation among the poor.
Mack the Knife Sung by Lotte Lenya - YouTube
He would probably roll in his grave if he knew that his masterpiece was now on youtube with a hotel.com ad as a trailer.
Lotte Lenya sings Kurt Weill (vaimusic.com) - YouTube
Brecht escaped the Nazi's by coming to America, only to be challenged by McCarthy and The House Committee on Un-American Activities.
With love,
Mom