Although it's now over eight decades old and has become a touchstone work of 20th-century music, Alban Berg's bleakly powerful opera about a brutish soldier (being experimented on by a crazed doctor) who kills his faithless mistress and then himself, seems freshly minted here, its complex expressionist mode still sounding intensely modern. This 2006 production from the Gran Teatre del Liceu in Barcelona boasts considerable strengths: conductor Sebastian Weigle skillfully draws out the score's beautiful aspects as well as its harshness, the orchestra's performance is precise and rich, the cast acts and sings superbly, and the fluid camerawork and excellent sound (with DTS and LPCM stereo options) are first-rate. In fact, from a purely visual standpoint, Calixto Bieito's staging is impressive as well: the stark setting and contrasting costume colors create a striking look. But his decision (explained in a bonus documentary) to transfer the action from a military base to a factory because the industrial background would be more oppressive and exploitative, seems both a miscalculation and a dubious assumption. In addition, some viewers may find off-putting the full-frontal nudity—both male and female—during the orchestral adagio toward the opera's close, which certainly fulfills the director's desire to shock, but comes across as gratuitous. On balance, however, this version—which also features a synopsis and cast gallery—is recommended. Aud: C, P. (F. Swietek)
Wozzeck
(2006) 129 min. In German w/English subtitles. DVD: $32.98 (booklet included). Opus Arte (dist. by Naxos of America). Volume 23, Issue 3
Wozzeck
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