Expressionism is another style of music that to me is more highly appreciated, namely for its importance in the development of music, than loved. It is interesting to learn about and study, but anybody that was not familiar with Expressionism and heard it for the first time is likely to find the dissonance and atonality not the easiest or accessible of listens. Schoenberg may have pioneered it, but do much prefer Berg and do consider 'Wozzeck' and 'Lulu' two of the greatest operas of the twentieth century.
'Wozzeck' benefits hugely from its atmosphere, clever scoring with its wide range of emotions and the complex titular character. The same goes for 'Lulu'. The Metropolitan Opera' have proven before that they could do 'Wozzeck' well, from the brilliant 2001 production with Falk Struckmann in the lead role and James Levine (who championed the opera). They have also showed that they are no strangers to Berg's music and are very good doing so, not just that production of 'Wozzeck' but also their fine 'Lulu' from five years ago (which also had William Kentridge's involvement). To me, there is a lot to recommend with this 2020 performance, but somehow there was something missing. Not the best 'Wozzeck', not the worst either.
Good things are many. While the production is not perfect visually, Kentridge showcases once again, like he did in the Met's productions of 'The Nose' (also great) and 'Lulu', his very interesting and quite unique visual style. The imagery is full of atmosphere, jaw-dropping at its best and is more often than not cleverly utilised. The sets are suitably austere while never being too ugly. The costumes fit beautifully within the concept and don't look too ugly on their own either. The production looks fantastic in HD and boasted some sympathetic but also dramatic video directing and very clear picture quality. The sound was fine.
Musically, the production was mostly great. The orchestra successfully manages to make Berg's incredibly complex score beautiful and affecting as well as frightening and twisted, this is more than just dissonant noise that some people from personal experience describe Expressionist music as, it seems like that on first listen but when one gets used to the style it is more appealing. It is a very tough task following on from Levine, but Yannick Nézet-Séguin does a more than worthy job. It is not an easy score at all to conduct and a big part of me did worry that he would be taxed here as it is one of the most demanding scores he has taken on and uncompromising from a conductor's point of view. He does a great job actually, masterly at its best despite an occasional tendency to rush. One of his better moments being Marie's death, which actually did have intensity and is the main reason as to why the scene just about works.
There are some good performances here too. The best performance coming from Elsa Van Der Heever as Marie. Her voice is earthy and biting yet tender and serene when necessary and in terms of interpretation she is dead on too. She makes Marie a complex and conflicted character, graceful at times but suitably aggressive at others. There are some great supporting performances too, especially Gerhard Siegel's neurotic Captain and Christian Van Horn as a deceptively sympathetic yet sinister Doctor. Christopher Ventris is a swaggering Drum Major.
Was a little more mixed on Peter Mattei, who disappointed a little bit as Wozzeck. He is no stranger to the 'Metropolitan Opera Live HD' series and was great in all his previous performances, especially as Amfortas in 'Parsifal' in my view (considering he had to be in some very uncomfortable positions throughout yet showed no signs of over-parting). This is the first time to me that he was less than great and merely pretty good. He gets the intensity and poignancy just about right in terms of interpretation, though the tortured characterisation had a lot of potential to go even further, and he sings beautifully and warmly (perhaps too much so). To me though, the singing needed more edge and grit, which Mattei didn't have enough of, and it was like the role was a little too heavy for him.
Did feel that while visually striking Kentridge's designs were a little too over-stuffed and went a little too fast a pace, meaning that it wasn't always easy catching up with it. The production would have benefitted from having less of this spectacle because it did get in the way of the drama a bit, something that was not the case with 'The Nose' and 'Lulu'. Emotionally the production, while doing everything correct, was a little bland. It could have done with more spark between the performers, particularly between the crucial relationship between Wozzeck and Marie, and more intensity and poignancy. The realism of the drama is there, the grit isn't quite.
Have always found the final scene devastating, but it felt anti-climactic here somehow and not done with not enough passion.
Concluding, somewhat disappointing but the good things are many and it is a well above average production overall. 6/10
'Wozzeck' benefits hugely from its atmosphere, clever scoring with its wide range of emotions and the complex titular character. The same goes for 'Lulu'. The Metropolitan Opera' have proven before that they could do 'Wozzeck' well, from the brilliant 2001 production with Falk Struckmann in the lead role and James Levine (who championed the opera). They have also showed that they are no strangers to Berg's music and are very good doing so, not just that production of 'Wozzeck' but also their fine 'Lulu' from five years ago (which also had William Kentridge's involvement). To me, there is a lot to recommend with this 2020 performance, but somehow there was something missing. Not the best 'Wozzeck', not the worst either.
Good things are many. While the production is not perfect visually, Kentridge showcases once again, like he did in the Met's productions of 'The Nose' (also great) and 'Lulu', his very interesting and quite unique visual style. The imagery is full of atmosphere, jaw-dropping at its best and is more often than not cleverly utilised. The sets are suitably austere while never being too ugly. The costumes fit beautifully within the concept and don't look too ugly on their own either. The production looks fantastic in HD and boasted some sympathetic but also dramatic video directing and very clear picture quality. The sound was fine.
Musically, the production was mostly great. The orchestra successfully manages to make Berg's incredibly complex score beautiful and affecting as well as frightening and twisted, this is more than just dissonant noise that some people from personal experience describe Expressionist music as, it seems like that on first listen but when one gets used to the style it is more appealing. It is a very tough task following on from Levine, but Yannick Nézet-Séguin does a more than worthy job. It is not an easy score at all to conduct and a big part of me did worry that he would be taxed here as it is one of the most demanding scores he has taken on and uncompromising from a conductor's point of view. He does a great job actually, masterly at its best despite an occasional tendency to rush. One of his better moments being Marie's death, which actually did have intensity and is the main reason as to why the scene just about works.
There are some good performances here too. The best performance coming from Elsa Van Der Heever as Marie. Her voice is earthy and biting yet tender and serene when necessary and in terms of interpretation she is dead on too. She makes Marie a complex and conflicted character, graceful at times but suitably aggressive at others. There are some great supporting performances too, especially Gerhard Siegel's neurotic Captain and Christian Van Horn as a deceptively sympathetic yet sinister Doctor. Christopher Ventris is a swaggering Drum Major.
Was a little more mixed on Peter Mattei, who disappointed a little bit as Wozzeck. He is no stranger to the 'Metropolitan Opera Live HD' series and was great in all his previous performances, especially as Amfortas in 'Parsifal' in my view (considering he had to be in some very uncomfortable positions throughout yet showed no signs of over-parting). This is the first time to me that he was less than great and merely pretty good. He gets the intensity and poignancy just about right in terms of interpretation, though the tortured characterisation had a lot of potential to go even further, and he sings beautifully and warmly (perhaps too much so). To me though, the singing needed more edge and grit, which Mattei didn't have enough of, and it was like the role was a little too heavy for him.
Did feel that while visually striking Kentridge's designs were a little too over-stuffed and went a little too fast a pace, meaning that it wasn't always easy catching up with it. The production would have benefitted from having less of this spectacle because it did get in the way of the drama a bit, something that was not the case with 'The Nose' and 'Lulu'. Emotionally the production, while doing everything correct, was a little bland. It could have done with more spark between the performers, particularly between the crucial relationship between Wozzeck and Marie, and more intensity and poignancy. The realism of the drama is there, the grit isn't quite.
Have always found the final scene devastating, but it felt anti-climactic here somehow and not done with not enough passion.
Concluding, somewhat disappointing but the good things are many and it is a well above average production overall. 6/10
