One of the most striking operas in the repertoire, Alban Berg’s Wozzeck is an unquestioned masterpiece. Adapted from a play by the short-lived German playwright Georg Buchner, and informed by the composer’s time serving in the Austro-Hungarian Army, the work confronts the effects of World War I with stark honesty. The world-class Zurich Opera bring the work to London with an all-star cast under award-winning conductor Fabio Luisi.
Composed between 1914 and 1922, the opera focuses on its titular character, a soldier living in poverty and oppression. Tormented by those around him and suspecting his wife of being unfaithful, he gradually descends into madness. When he turns to murder, he consigns himself to a miserable fate, in a work that ultimately symbolizes the senseless violence underpinning much of human history.
Wozzeck is often considered the first modernist opera. Although premiered to a mixed reception, it soon established itself as one of the most popular works of the twentieth century avant-garde. Berg’s music is sparse, savage and stabbing, with a palpable sense of unease. It forsakes operatic forms like the aria and trio in favour of genres usually associated with instrumental music, including a rondo, a scherzo and a passacaglia. Whilst it often strays into atonality, it also contains passages that evoke the more emotive late romanticism of Mahler and Strauss. Berg utilizes Sprechgesang (speech-song) to represent the anguish of the characters, in dialogue with more conventional vocal technique.
Luisi has received great acclaim for previous productions of Berg, and with an impressive cast headed by baritone Christian Gerhaher and soprano Gun-Brit Barkmin, this will likely be an electric rendering of this great work. This concert performance allows the audience to focus on Berg’s compelling and terrifying score. Don’t miss out on this chance to see one of the twentieth century’s most important works.
Composed between 1914 and 1922, the opera focuses on its titular character, a soldier living in poverty and oppression. Tormented by those around him and suspecting his wife of being unfaithful, he gradually descends into madness. When he turns to murder, he consigns himself to a miserable fate, in a work that ultimately symbolizes the senseless violence underpinning much of human history.
Wozzeck is often considered the first modernist opera. Although premiered to a mixed reception, it soon established itself as one of the most popular works of the twentieth century avant-garde. Berg’s music is sparse, savage and stabbing, with a palpable sense of unease. It forsakes operatic forms like the aria and trio in favour of genres usually associated with instrumental music, including a rondo, a scherzo and a passacaglia. Whilst it often strays into atonality, it also contains passages that evoke the more emotive late romanticism of Mahler and Strauss. Berg utilizes Sprechgesang (speech-song) to represent the anguish of the characters, in dialogue with more conventional vocal technique.
Luisi has received great acclaim for previous productions of Berg, and with an impressive cast headed by baritone Christian Gerhaher and soprano Gun-Brit Barkmin, this will likely be an electric rendering of this great work. This concert performance allows the audience to focus on Berg’s compelling and terrifying score. Don’t miss out on this chance to see one of the twentieth century’s most important works.
| What | Zurich Opera: Wozzeck, Royal Festival Hall |
| Where | Royal Festival Hall, Southbank Centre, Belvedere Road, London, SE1 8XX | MAP |
| Nearest tube | Waterloo (underground) |
| When |
On 02 Oct 15, 7:00 PM – 9:10 PM |
| Price | £10-65 |
| Website | Click |
