Wozzeck, Opera by A. Berg
Widely considered to be one of the early twentieth century's most important operatic compositions, Alban Berg's Wozzeck is staged at Venice's wonderful opera house, Gran Teatro La Fenice. This dramatic opera was partly written by Berg while he was serving in the Austrian army during the First World War, penning some of the music while he was on leave. The composer was inspired by a stage play he had seen in the months running up to the war. This drama had been written, but not finished, by the German playwright Georg Büchner in the 1830s and it was not until Karl Emil Franzos, an Austrian novelist, edited it that it finally made the stage. Although Berg began work on his operatic version, including adapting his own libretto, shortly after seeing it in 1914, the work was not finished until 1922. Wozzeck's premiere took place at the Berlin State Opera on 14 December 1925.
Wozzeck is based on a true story, that of a soldier named Johann Christian Woyzeck. In the opening scene, the title character is shaving his captain who urges him to perform this task more slowly. Later, the captain says Wozzeck is immoral because he has had a child out of wedlock which the young soldier responds to by saying morality is something the poor cannot always afford. Wozzeck's girlfriend, Marie, has a friend named Margret and the pair seem to be particularly impressed by a military band, noting the handsome Drum Major. In the opening act, Wozzeck complains to Marie of his nightmarish visions. She tries to console him but he runs out seeking the help of a doctor.
The Drum Major makes advances towards Marie who, although resistant initially, responds to them. Wozzeck returns to Marie who appears to be remorseful. When Wozzeck passes his captain and the doctor in the street, they tease him about Marie. The soldier's suspicions worsen and he attempts to get the truth from his girlfriend. Later, Marie and the Drum Major dance together and Wozzeck experiences some more terrifying visions before returning to his barracks where a fight breaks out. In the final act, fatal consequences play out as Wozzeck confronts Marie about her infidelity and whether their relationship can survive given they have a child together.
Wozzeck is notable for Berg's use of different musical ensembles. Although the opera is fully orchestrated, he uses smaller ensembles for different scenes. For example, in the closing act, an upright bar piano provides the musical accompaniment while, in the first act, a military band sound is generated by stripping the orchestration down. With such superb acoustics at the illustrious Venice's La Fenice Opera House, drawing out the subtleties of Berg's exceptional scoring will be a big part of what makes this production of Wozzeck so enjoyable.