WOZZECK, PT. 1 (TV)
Summary
Part one of two. This production of Alban Berg's "Wozzeck," an opera in three acts based on the play by Georg Buchner, features the Orchestra and Chorus of the Vienna State Opera, conducted by Claudio Abbado. The opera's 15 short scenes are separated by orchestral interludes. The story concerns Wozzeck (Grundheber), a soldier who is brutalized by authority figures. Act I opens with Wozzeck shaving the captain of his regiment (Zednik), who accuses him of lacking morals. Wozzeck replies that morals are for the rich and not the poor. Later, as Wozzeck and a fellow soldier, Andres (Langridge), are cutting firewood, Andres sings lightheartedly, but Wozzeck imagines hearing strange voices. Wozzeck's mistress, Marie (Behrens), sits at the window of her house with her child (Lehner) and flirts with the drum major (Raffeiner) as he passes by. When Wozzeck arrives, he is deeply depressed and confused, which frightens Marie. In another scene, the doctor (Haugland) explains that he is using Wozzeck for a bizarre medical experiment. He is angry that Wozzeck has not followed the unorthodox diet he had prescribed. As Act I ends, the drum major seduces Marie, who resists at first but finally submits. In Act II, Wozzeck enters Marie's room and notices the gold earrings given to her by the drum major. He leaves consumed with jealousy, and Marie reproaches herself for her infidelity. When the doctor and the captain encounter Wozzeck on the street, they taunt him about Marie's affair with the drum major. Wozzeck finally accuses Marie of having an affair; when she refuses to respond, he threatens to strike her. Later, he watches jealously as Marie dances with the drum major in a tavern. This part ends in the middle of Act II, Scene 4. Continues with T90:0017. (There is a brief pause halfway through this part before Act II begins.) (This program aired in various European countries.)
Details
- NETWORK: Channel 4 (United Kingdom)
- DATE: January 31, 1989
- RUNNING TIME: 1:00:49
- COLOR/B&W: Color
- CATALOG ID: T90:0016
- GENRE: Music
- SUBJECT HEADING: Choral music; International Collection - United Kingdom; Operas; Orchestral music
- SERIES RUN: Channel 4 (United Kingdom) - TV, 1989
- COMMERCIALS: N/A
CREDITS
- Franz Kabelka … Executive Producer
- Ernst Neuspiel … Producer, For television
- Brian Large … Director, For television
- Adolf Dresen … Producer, Opera produced by
- Georg Buchner … Writer, Based on the play "Woyzeck" by
- Alban Berg … Composer
- Claudio Abbado … Conductor
- Vienna State Opera Orchestra … Symphony Orchestra
- Vienna State Opera Chorus … Choir/Chorus
- Franz Grundheber … Cast, Wozzeck, Singer
- Hildegard Behrens … Cast, Marie, Singer
- Walter Raffeiner … Cast, the Drum Major , Singer
- Philip Langridge … Cast, Andres, Singer
- Heinz Zednik … Cast, the Captain, Singer
- Aage Haugland … Cast, the Doctor, Singer
- Anna Gonda … Cast, Margret, Singer
- Viktoria Lehner … Cast, Marie's child, Singer, with others