The Met's new production

William Kentridge, who hails from the world of specially made animations films and also enjoys working with elements of puppet theatre, created a 'provocative and visually stunning' production of Berg's opera Lulu that met with huge acclaim following its 2015 premiere. The South African artist has now placed his unique imagination at the service of another of the Austrian composer's works to tell a story set in an apocalyptic environment before the start of ...World War One. (The premiere of the production came in 2017 at the Salzburg Festival, where it enjoyed extraordinary success.)
Wozzeck is one of 20th century opera's most striking creations, masterfully combining tragedy and comedy to dramatic affect. Thanks in part to the quick succession of scenes, it remains one of the most easily accessible operas of the modern era. The title role, a military barber with a confused state of mind, will be played by the world famous Swedish baritone Peter Mattei, who began his career and continues to work primarily as a singer of Mozart. Elza van den Heever, who is a regular guest of the Metropolitan Opera, will take to the stage to play the role of Wozzeck's wife, while the drum major who captures her attention will be brought to life by the outstanding British tenor Christopher Ventris, celebrated for his performance as Parsifa at the Bayreuth Festival. The character of the Captain will be played by someone who will be familiar to attendees of Budapest Wagner Days, the fantastic Gerhard Siegel, while we will also enjoy the sought-after American baritone Christian Van Horn as the Doctor. The performance will be conducted by the musical director of the Metropolitan Opera, Yannick Nézet-Séguin.

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