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The Yomiuri Nippon Symphony Orchestra (YNSO) gave a compelling performance of “Wozzeck,” the dark operatic masterpiece by Alban Berg, conducted by Sebastian Weigle at Suntory Hall in Akasaka, Tokyo, on March 12.
The concert-style performance, a highlight of the 2024-25 season, wasjoined by some of the finest opera singers today from home and abroad.
Completed in 1922 and premiered in 1925, “Wozzeck” is regarded as one of the most important operas of the 20th century. The expressionist opera is based on the play “Woyzeck” by the early 19th-century German playwright Georg Buchner. The opera’s title is spelled differently from the play’s as the result of confusion during the play’s publication process.
Wozzeck is a barber-turned-soldier in 19th-century Germany, an ordinary man who grows psychologically unstable because of poverty. He scrapes together a living by giving a daily shave to the haughty captain and regularly serving as a subject in a dubious therapeutic trial by an eccentric doctor.
He has a child born out of wedlock with Marie, a God-fearing woman who becomes weary of her depressed common-law husband and becomes attracted to a drum major with a sturdy physique. Finding out that Marie is having an affair with the drum major, Wozzeck becomes even more insecure and eventually kills her before accidentally drowning himself. The last scene of this bleak story features their little son playing outside, oblivious to what has happened to his parents.
Berg’s music is arguably the most lyrical among works by early 20th-century composers who embarked on a journey to the territory of atonal music. The Austrian composer wrote two operas, “Wozzeck” and “Lulu,” although the latter was left unfinished when he died.
“Wozzeck” has an unconventional structure as an opera. Each of the 15 scenes — five scenes per act — was composed in a different classical music form, such as rhapsody, rondo and scherzo.
Weigle, the principal conductor of the YNSO, integrated all the scenes with finesse. The waltzing part in Act II was refreshingly mellow, while the long B sustained by the full orchestra after Wozzeck’s death was intense and eerily evocative. He created musical imagery with the depth and nuance of orchestral sound.
As Wozzeck, sought-after baritone Sir Simon Keenlyside gave a gripping performance both vocally and theatrically, looking down at times to show Wozzeck’s tormented soul. Soprano Allison Oakes garnered sympathy for Marie with her clear voice and emotionally charged singing.
For opera buffs, “Wozzeck” provides a nice opportunity to appreciate three different tenors in major roles: the captain, the drum major and Andres, a good-natured friend of Wozzeck. Jorg Schneider made good use of his high tone to express the captain’s scornful nature, Benjamin Bruns was the drum major with a heroic voice, and Tatsundo Ito’s lyrical voice suited Andres.
As the doctor, veteran bass Falk Struckmann captivated the audience with his deep voice shot through with comical cynicism.
Smaller roles were appropriately sung by Hirotaka Kato (First apprentice), Jun Hagiwara (Second apprentice), Yuki Sugiyama (Margret) and Takashi Otsuki (a madman).
The performance was complete with fine singing by the New National Theatre Chorus. Tokyo FM Boys Choir sang the part of the children in the final scene.
