BERG : WOZZECK

Radio New Zealand Concert network
Sunday 20th of April 2014 a6 6.03 - 8 pm
Sunday 1st of May 2011 at 3.03 - 5 pm 

INTRODUCTION
SYNOPSIS 
LIBRETTO
REVIEW (NYT)
REVIEW
RECORDINGS 

 2014
BERG: Wozzeck, an opera in three acts and fifteen scenes
Based on Georg Büchner's play (Woyzeck) which chronicles a poor man's descent into madness and murder through the relentless effects of an inhumane society in which the underprivileged are at the mercy of an unfeeling, selfish, and sadistic ruling class
Wozzeck........................... Thomas Hampson
Marie................................ Deborah Voigt
Captain............................. Peter Hoare
Doctor.............................. Clive Bayley
Drum Major..................... Simon O'Neill
Andres.............................. Russell Thomas
Margret............................ Tamara Mumford
First apprentice................ Richard Bernstein
Second apprentice............ Mark Schowalter
Fool.................................. Philippe Castagner
Soldier.............................. Daniel Clark Smith
Townsman........................ Raymond Aparentado
Metropolitan Opera Chorus, Children's Chorus & Orch/James Levine

2011

BERG: Wozzeck, an opera in three acts
Wozzeck....................... Alan Held
Marie............................ Waltraud Meier
Captain......................... Gerhard Siegel
Doctor.......................... Walter Fink
Drum Major.................. Stuart Skelton
Andres.......................... Russell Thomas
Margret......................... Wendy White
First Apprentice............ Richard Bernstein
Second Apprentice........ Mark Schowalter
Madman....................... Philippe Castagner
Soldier.......................... Daniel Clark Smith
Townsman.................... Raymond Aparentado
Metropolitan Opera Chorus & Orch/James Levine

I have long owned the oldest record of this opera (1951, NY Phil, Dmitri Mitropoulos, Eileen Farrell,  see RECORDINGS); it has The Scream on the cover.

James Levine is passionate about this opera; I have heard him tell of his lifelong connection with it. As a student of German at Sydney University I was required to study the original drama, namely Georg Büchner's Woyzeck. The links provided above will take you to a feast of information. The ones below are now lost to us.

COMPOSER
CHARACTERS 
SYNOPSIS
STORYLINE
BACKGROUND
UNDERGROUND
ANALYSIS
PREVIEW
REVIEW