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I've wanted to see this opera for years-when I took introduction to music in college, our instructor chose Wozzeck for the section on opera, and it made vivid impression. Tony award winning director Des McAnuff (Jersey Boys, Tommy) directed the production (his first opera) and it was an amazing achievement-a disturbing but riveting experience. The stage design was eerily effective, a large, rotating cage-like structure that was an effective metaphor for the caged, fatalistic existence Wozzeck finds himself imprisoned in, and screened images between acts gave a vivid visual portrayal of his descent into madness. I was a little disappointed at first that it was sung in English (the program notes explained that the principal singers reluctantly agreed to peform the opera in English in hopes that more would be exposed to this masterwork) but this production was so engrossing this was soon forgotten.
An amazing evening of theater.
Follow Ups:
Glad you liked it. I was set to see it as my 6 year-old nephew was originally chosen to play the part of the little boy. Unfortunately he could not take the stress of rehearsals and had to back out. I understnad that they got a girl to play the part. Is that correct?When my sister told me around Christmas time that my nephew had gotten the part (his first)and then told me what opera it was I thought, O, Lord throw the poor boy into the deep end.
My nephew told me the notes he was to sing were all wrong and I told him wait until you hear what the others have to sing.
Glad you enjoyed it.Not sure I agree with an English version being more accessible; surtitles work just fine. Besides, if you study up on the opera (though DVD, CD and/or score), you'll have an inkling of what it's all about. Don't most opera-goers do that?
This was the first time Wozzeck has ever been performed in San Diego, and I'm sure the concession was made to keep our more conservative season subscription members from passing it up.
...and although I can't claim to be an opera buff, exactly, I think this one's a tremendous piece of work. Musically it's just amazing.
Curiously it was the text who always work out tremendously for me first.
can be found on the San Diego Opera website. Just click on Wozzeck. They also have a fairly extensive database of all the operas performed there in the past 6 years.
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