Wozzeck

Wozzeck

Opera in three acts (1925)

Music by Alban Berg
Text after the drama fragment "Woyzeck" by Georg Büchner

Language: German, with German and English surtitles

Recommended age: 16 years and older

The tragic drama of an oppressed person from society’s lower classes: Wozzeck, a hardworking but penniless soldier, is increasingly losing control of his life and his mind. He is seized by increasingly violent psychotic episodes, until in a delusion, he stabs and kills his girlfriend Marie.

Wozzeck’s surroundings bear some of the blame for this: because he has a relationship out of wedlock and an illegitimate child, he is humiliated by his superior, abused by a doctor for medical experiments, and finally cheated on by Marie with the higher-ranking drum major. All this triggers the spiral of his delusions. A real-life, early 19th-century criminal case, which for the first time in legal history raised the issue of an absence of criminal responsibility due to mental illness, inspired Georg Büchner to write his play. Left behind as a fragment in 1837 when Büchner, a revolutionary-minded writer, died prematurely, it was not staged until 1913. Alban Berg found the subject of his atonal opera, the first ever of its kind, when he saw a performance of the play. He succeeded in creating a stirring, expressionistic score, which is precisely constructed on the one hand and on the other, unleashes an elementary force. Since its premiere at the Staatsoper Unter den Linden in 1925, Wozzeck has been considered a milestone of modernity. Andrea Breth’s gripping production – a razor-sharp experiment to study the mechanics of evil, can now be seen for the first time on Unter den Linden.

Synopsis

Act 1

Scene 1 (Suite)

Wozzeck shaves the Captain, who lectures him on the qualities of a "decent man" and taunts him for living an immoral life. Wozzeck dutifully replies, "Jawohl, Herr Hauptmann" ("Yes sir, Captain") to these repeated insults. When the Captain scorns Wozzeck's having a child "without the blessing of the Church", Wozzeck argues that poverty makes virtue difficult and quotes Mark 10:14, "Lasset die Kleinen zu mir kommen" ("Allow the little children to come to me"). Confused, the Captain asks for clarification. Wozzeck grows agitated as he explains, crying out that if the poor ever "got to Heaven, we'd all have to manufacture thunder!" to tumultuous, crackling music. The Captain abruptly tries to calm Wozzeck, conceding that he is "a decent man, only you think too much!" The tired Captain exits.

Scene 2 (Rhapsody and Hunting Song)

Wozzeck and Andres cut sticks at sunset. Andres sings a hunting song. Wozzeck experiences frightening visions and grows agitated. Andres tries to calm him.

Scene 3 (March and Lullaby)

Marie admires a military parade when Margret mocks her for her interest in the soldiers. Marie shuts the window. She sings a self-soothing lullaby to her son. Wozzeck arrives, sharing his troubling visions. He leaves without even seeing their child, much to Marie's dismay. She laments their poverty.

Scene 4 (Passacaglia)

The Doctor scolds Wozzeck for not following his strict orders, involving a restrictive diet and urine collection. He is delighted when Wozzeck's mental illness becomes apparent.

Scene 5 (Rondo)

Marie admires the Drum Major from her doorway. He makes advances, which she first rejects but then accepts after a short struggle.

Act 2

Scene 1 (Sonata-Allegro)

Marie admires her earrings, a gift from the Drum Major. She bids her son to sleep. Wozzeck arrives, startling her. He asks about the earrings, and she claims she found them. He doubts that, but gives her money and leaves. Marie is wracked with guilt.

Scene 2 (Fantasia and Fugue on Three Themes)

Echoing the opening scene, the Captain urges the Doctor to slow down as they pass. The Doctor taunts the Captain with a list of frightening diagnoses for his ailments. As Wozzeck passes, they hint that Marie is unfaithful to him.

Scene 3 (Largo)

Wozzeck confronts Marie. She does not deny it. Enraged, he nearly strikes her. She stops him. "Better a knife in my belly than your hands on me," she says. Wozzeck repeats this after her, considering it.

Scene 4 (Scherzo)

Wozzeck spots Marie out dancing with the Drum Major. While soldiers sing a hunter's chorus, Andres notices Wozzeck sitting alone and asks why. An Apprentice is drunkenly preaching when an Idiot stumbles toward Wozzeck, crying, "Lustig, ... aber es riecht ... Ich riech Blut!" ("Joyful, ... but it reeks ... I smell blood!")

Scene 5 (Rondo)

In the barracks at night, Wozzeck cannot sleep without thinking about Marie, disturbing Andres. Wozzeck prays while everyone snores. The Drum Major enters and beats Wozzeck, who is humiliated. Some watch. Wozzeck dissociates.

Act 3

Scene 1 (Invention on a Theme)

In her room at night, Marie reads from the Bible, crying out for mercy.

Scene 2 (Invention on a Single Note (B))

Wozzeck and Marie walk along a pond in the forest. Wozzeck grabs her when she tries to flee. He stabs her, declaring that if he can't have her, no one else can. A blood-red moon rises.

Scene 3 (Invention on a Rhythm)

In a tavern, Wozzeck dances with Margret. He pulls her onto his lap, insults her, and demands that she sing. As she does, people notice blood on Wozzeck. They raise alarm. Agitated and terrified, Wozzeck flees.

Scene 4 (Invention on a Hexachord)

Wozzeck tries to retrieve the knife from the pond. Hallucinating, he speaks to Marie. He has paranoid delusions about the blood-red moon telling the world about his crime. He becomes frantic and drowns in what he imagines is blood. Nearby, the Captain and Doctor are enjoying a slow walk. They shudder at the sound of someone drowning and quickly leave.

Interlude (Invention on a Key (D minor))

This interlude leads to the finale.

Scene 5 (Invention on an Eighth-Note moto perpetuo, quasi toccata)

The next morning, children play and sing in the sunny street outside Marie's door. News spreads that she is dead. They all run off to see the body. Marie's son is unaffected by the news, even after it is shouted at him. After some delay, he follows the others, oblivious.

Program and cast

Musical Director: Christian Thielemann

Director: Andrea Breth

Set Design: Martin Zehetgruber

Costumes: Silke Willrett, Marc Weeger

Light: Olaf Freese

Chorus Master: Dani Juris

Wozzeck: Simon Keenlyside

Marie: Anja Kampe

Drum major: Andreas Schager

Andres: Florian Hoffmann

Captain: Wolfgang Ablinger-Sperrhacke

Doctor: Stephen Milling

Margret: Anna Kissjudit

First apprentice: Friedrich Hamel

Second apprentice: Dionysios Avgerinos

Madman: Stephan Rügamer

Marie's son: Solist des Kinderchors der Staatsoper

Staatsopernchor, Kinderchor der Staatsoper, Staatskapelle Berlin