Wozzeck in HD

Conductor...............Yannick Nézet-Séguin
Production..............William Kentridge

Wozzeck.................Peter Mattei
Marie...................Elza van den Heever
Captain.................Gerhard Siegel
Drum Major..............Christopher Ventris
Doctor..................Christian Van Horn

This is my fifth time with Berg's Wozzeck--once in the 60's at San Francisco with Marilyn Horne, once in the 80's at San Francisco with Janis Martin, once in 2011 at Santa Fe with Nicola Beller Carbone, a German soprano, once streamed from Salzburg with Asmik Grigorian and now in HD from the Met with Elza van den Heever.  Marilyn Horne could have been singing Bellini.  Janis Martin could have been doing Wagner.  Since then it has become increasingly noticeable that there is a lot of Sprechstimme in this opera.  This means it often sounds like talking in rhythm against the large orchestra.

I saw this production streamed from Salzburg.  It looked even more jumbled and distracting this time.  It overwhelms the action and makes everything confusing.  I liked it even less this time.

Peter Mattei was just right as Wozzeck, mean and dark and nasty.  Elza may be too nice as Marie.  The puppet child never projects as a real child, never arouses any sympathy.  It must be under 3 years old, since that is how long Wozzeck and Marie have known each other.  When this opera works best for me it's when the child is seen wandering off after both his parents are dead.  A puppet doesn't arouse this reaction.

Musically it was quite well done.