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How did English ballad opera begin with The Beggar’s Opera?

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Members of the Dnepropetrovsk State Opera and Ballet Theatre perform Il Trovatore, with a woman in tattered costume singing dramatically at center stage and other actors in period dress. — opera Performance of Giuseppe Verdi's *Il trovatore*, 2011.

English ballad opera emerged in the 18th century as a popular, comic alternative to the highbrow Italian opera then dominating London stages. The Beggar’s Opera (1728), with a libretto by John Gay and music arranged by John Christopher Pepusch, served as the catalyst for this genre.12

The work established the defining characteristics of ballad opera by:

Satirizing Italian Opera: It functioned as a direct spoof of the formal, serious Italian style favored by composers like George Frideric Handel.12
Using Vernacular Music: Instead of complex arias, it featured spoken dialogue interspersed with songs set to popular, traditional English, Irish, Scottish, and French tunes, making the performance accessible in the vernacular.123
Employing Satirical Themes: It combined bawdy comedy with biting political satire, portraying the lives of thieves and prostitutes to mock the morality of contemporary highborn society and government officials.13

Its immense popularity spawned numerous imitations, effectively shifting public taste and establishing a native English tradition of staged, sung drama.12