Wozzeck is a huge undertaking for every artist, house, or orchestra. So, why is seemingly everyone playing it right now? The simple answer is that the piece was groundbreaking for modern opera when it premiered in Berlin in 1925. This year, 2025, marks its 100th anniversary.
Sadly, even after a century, the piece remains profoundly relevant today.
Steckt doch auch ein Stück von mir in seiner Figur, seit ich ebenso abhängig von verhassten Menschen, gebunden, kränklich, unfrei, resigniert, ja gedemütigt, diese Kriegsjahre verbringe. Ohne diesen Militärdienst wäre ich gesund wie früher.
Alban Berg
It will come as no surprise to those who have followed my professional journey that I have a soft spot for the music of the Second Viennese School. It’s incredibly challenging but so strong, and the more you get to know it, the more you see how dramatic and theatrical it is. In Wozzeck, Berg doesn’t just paint emotion and atmosphere; he renders entire rooms and landscapes with incredible detail.
I feel incredibly privileged to be singing in two separate Wozzeck productions over the next few months! I’m performing Margret now in Madrid with Maestro David Afkham and the kindest, most brilliant colleagues imaginable. And, in a month, I have my exciting role debut as Marie in Darmstadt, which I can’t wait for!
Photos by Rafa Martín, for OCNE, Orquestra y coro nacionales de España
When Alban Berg’s opera premiered in 1925, it broke new ground in both its content and musical structure. His first full-length opera, the three-act Wozzeck, based on the drama by Georg Büchner, is a forerunner of modern compositional techniques and is historically significant as the first full-length atonal stage work—that is, one free from any traditional harmonic structures.
Borrowed from Simon Chlosta‘s brilliant text.
Wozzeck is inspired by the true historical story of the soldier Johann Christian Woyzeck, who was executed for the murder of his mistress. The drama it’s based on, Büchner’s unfinished work, is actually titled Woyzeck.
The varying spelling in the opera’s title, Wozzeck, stems from an early edition of the drama. This edition was later heavily criticised due to numerous textual alterations. However, by the time Berg came across a more critical edition in 1920, his work was too far advanced, and he chose to stick with the older, now obsolete text.
Although Büchner’s play was written in 1837, shortly before his early death at the age of just 23, Woyzeck did not receive its first performance until 1913. A year later, Alban Berg attended the Vienna premiere, which immediately inspired him to write his opera.
The actual composition process, however, extended over several years. This delay was partly because Berg served as a clerk in the Austrian army between 1915 and 1918. He managed to complete the libretto in 1917 and began composing during the final two years of the war, but the opera was not completed until 1921. Following the performance of a few extracts, the official world premiere took place in December 1925 at the Staatsoper Unter den Linden in Berlin.
In terms of content, Berg’s opera was groundbreaking because it focused on characters from the lowest social class as its protagonists—a rarity in musical theatre at the time.
Due to its complexity and technical difficulty, Wozzeck was initially considered hard to stage. Today, however, the opera is recognised as one of the most important contributions to 20th-century music history and is regarded as a key work of modernism.
Yesterday piano dress and today orchestra rehearsal 1 and 2. First act. We continue with the later acts after the weekend. To say that the orchestra sounds quite different than the piano score would be an understatement. It’s well orchestrated though, mostly quite singer friendly. These rehearsals are experiences, indeed. I’m looking forward to next week! The last before our premiere!
As a result of a long process, long discussions and a lot of research I and Jonas published our three new Lied-programmes last week. We are offering three exciting and very different programmes for the upcoming seasons.
The time has come. Only the dress rehearsal to go and on Thursday, October the 5th, we have premiere!!
Moscow State Symphony Orchestra
The Great Hall of the Moscow conservatory is one of the most famous concert venues not only in Moscow and Russia but in the world. Maestro Kogan told me it is (supposed to be) acoustically one of the five finest concert halls in the world. It was opened in 1901 and
mportant composers looking down at you when standing on stage. The hall has 1737 seats and our concert of Mendelssohn’s St. Paul was sold out. I enjoyed myself so much that I didn’t even get really nervous.
the actual distances in Franconia and this part of Germany. I prefer train but the travel times didn’t allow it.
It was my first encounter with the composer 
these are the days when many of us sit down and round up the passed year and set our plans for the new year in action. The tax returns need to be prepared for, travels booked, scores bought etc. But maybe most important to take a few minutes and quietly celebrate the victories that one has achieved and learn from what went less good. Life is about improving, if only in a small way – there is always something to learn.
ing paid for it. Great stuff. Happy for the possibility to sing my first Hänsel, after finishing my studies, in such a beautiful, intelligent production (in my taste) and with such lovely and well singing colleagues.
This last Saturday I faced one of my greatest challenges so far technically and musically. A fantastic opportunity to which I couldn’t say no. Brahm’s Alto Rhapsody, Mahler’s Kindertotenlieder, Bernstein’s Jeremiah and Chichester-Psalms – in one concert,a part of the church music festival in Fürth. Music that I’ve dreamed about singing for so long. As an audience member said afterwards, when thanking me, “This concert was as a gift for you”. Yes, it was. But a challenge; Not only to master these incredibly complicated and intricate pieces, each and one alone enough for one evening, mentally and emotionally but also to “survive” vocally.
t, Theaterfest -very popular, and this season, a matinee. Bel canto-matinee. Three Sunday’s at 11 o’clock. With the philharmonic orchestra, conducted by Guido Johannes Rumstadt, and soloists from the ensemble.
The real opening of the season, the premiere of Boris Godunov (the 1869 version), was a grand success. Even for me with my tiny little part as the Innkeeper. Combine director Peter Konwitschny (set and costumes by Timo Dentler and Okarina Peter) and Russian opera and “everyone” comes. I was honoured with mentions in Süddeutsche Zeitung, Frankfurter Allgemeine und Opernwelt. Considering that I’m on stage only in one scene and sing about 10 minutes, I’m rather proud. The big praise went, as it should, to my fantastic colleagues Nicolai Karnolsky, Alexey Birkus, David Yim and Tillman Unger.
Bachchor St.Lorenz
