Wozzeck. Urania Theatre Met Opera relay Budapest
Jan 19th 2020
This was really my introduction to this work and, to be honest, I did initially struggle – perhaps a little tired and approaching this work in that mode is not good. But it worked its magic – the music and the superb production so that by the end my wish was to see it again – not bad!
It was a good idea to perform it without an interval as the tightness of construction and dramatic arch was thus emphasized – and, as my companion pointed out, the libretto is superb – not an unnecessary word and consequently demanding to follow.
The performances were gripping –Peter Mattei was a powerfully moving and baffled Wozzeck while Elza van Heever gave a desperate and somewhat neurotic edge to the role of Marie. She was not played for sympathy I felt, which I wonder is unusual. All other roles were equally powerfully played and the balance was struck well between going down the road pf grotesque caricature which it would be easy to do – and I think could be effective as opposed to grim realism. But I do not feel that it is wholly ‘realistic’ in that sense and so some sense pf the exaggeratedly grotesque is an essential part of this work. This aspect was well indicated in the Kentridge production with its WW12 references – which only occasionally became clichéd. I liked the use of the imagery although some did not and it was not overdone. The use of the gas mask image was effectively powerful and it gave a monstrous quality to many scenes. The set was chaotic looking – rightly so and I felt referencing not just the disarray in the characters’ minds but also the world as it was and was becoming. The use of soldier doctor/nurse figure combinations was also starkly effective and I much liked the use of the puppet as the child which, with its masked almost pig-like face, gave a chilling conclusion to the work – and the relay enable such details to be very effectively used.
However, the stage was very dark for much of the time which did mean that a degree of atmosphere was lost as when one could clearly see, the details on it were excellent.
I am certainly going to further explore this work, not least with the YouTube performance link I have been given.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rHFFPyU41_0