Wozzeck Is Jan. 11, 2020, Met Opera Saturday Matinee Broadcast

Summary: Alban Berg’s Wozzeck is the Jan. 11, 2020, Met Opera Saturday matinee broadcast, airing as sixth in the season’s 23 radio matinees.

South African artist William Kentridge’s new production of Alban Berg’s Wozzeck debuted Friday, Dec. 27, 2019, at 8 p.m. EST: The Metropolitan Opera @MetOpera, via Facebook Sept. 4, 2019

Alban Berg’s Wozzeck is the Jan. 11, 2020, Met Opera Saturday matinee broadcast, airing at 1 p.m. Eastern Standard Time (EST) and numbering as the sixth of 23 scheduled Saturday radio matinees during the 2019-2020 Met Opera season.

Austrian composer Alban Berg (Feb. 9, 1885-Dec. 24, 1935) set the musical score for his first opera, Wozzeck, to a German libretto that he composed. His literary source was Woyzeck, an unfinished stage play by German anatomy lecturer, dramatist, physician and writer Karl Georg Büchner (Oct. 17, 1813-Feb. 19, 1837).

Wozzeck premiered Dec. 14, 1925, at the Berlin State Opera (German: Staatsoper Unter den Linden) in northeastern Germany. The Staatsoper, also known as Lindenoper, is located at number 7, Unter den Linden (Under the Linden Trees), a boulevard in Berlin’s central Mitte district.

Wozzeck’s premiere took place in the Lindenoper’s second building. The first building, which was inaugurated Dec. 7, 1742, was destroyed by a fire on Aug. 18, 1843. Prussian theatre architect Carl Ferdinand Langhans (Jan. 14, 1782-Nov. 22, 1869) supervised the Linden Opera’s reconstruction. The second building’s inauguration was held Dec. 7, 1844.

Wozzeck received its Metropolitan Opera premiere on March 5, 1959. Five performances were offered during the 1958-1959 season.

The 2019-2020 Met Opera season offers seven performances of Wozzeck. The season’s first performance happened Friday, Dec. 27, at 8 p.m. Eastern Standard Time (EST).

Six performances are scheduled for January. The month’s performances are slated for Thursday, Jan. 2, at 8 p.m.; Tuesday, Jan. 7, at 8 p.m.; Saturday matinee broadcast, Jan. 11, at 1 p.m.; Thursday, Jan. 16, at 8 p.m.; Sunday, Jan. 19, at 3 p.m.; and closing night, Wednesday, Jan. 22, at 8 p.m.

The three-act opera has an estimated run time of 1 hour 32 minutes. All acts are presented without intermission.

The Metropolitan Opera’s Jeanette Lerman-Neubauer Music Director, Yannick Nézet-Séguin, conducts all performances. The Metropolitan Opera’s third Music Director made his Metropolitan Opera debut Dec. 31, 2009, in the opera company’s 946th performance of Carmen by French Romantic Era composer Georges Bizet (Oct. 25, 1838-June 3, 1875). During the 2019-2020 Met Opera season, Maestro Nézet-Séguin also conducts Turandot by Italian opera composer Giacomo Puccini (Dec. 22, 1858-Nov. 29, 1924); the New Year’s Eve Gala; and Werther by French Romantic Era composer Jules Massenet (May 12, 1842-Aug. 13, 1912).

Elza van den Heever appears in all performances as Marie. The South African soprano made her Metropolitan Opera debut Dec. 31, 2012, as Elisabetta (Queen Elizabeth I) in the opera company’s premiere of Maria Stuarda by 19th century Italian bel canto opera composer Gaetano Donizetti (Nov. 29, 1797-April 8, 1848).

Tamara Mumford appears in all performances as Margret. The Canadian mezzo-soprano made her Metropolitan Opera debut March 13, 2006, as Laura in the opera company’s 81st performance of Luisa Miller by 19th century opera composer Giuseppe Verdi (Oct. 10, 1813-Jan. 27, 1901).

Christopher Ventris appears in all performances as the Drum Major. The British tenor made his Metropolitan Opera debut Jan. 13, 2003, as Steva in the opera company’s 32nd performance of Jenufa by Czech composer Leoš Janáček (July 3, 1854-Aug. 12, 1928).

Gerhard Siegel appears in all performances as the Captain. The German tenor made his Metropolitan Opera debut March 20, 2004, as the Mime in the opera company’s 147th performance of Das Rheingold by German composer and librettist Richard Wagner (May 22, 1813-Feb. 13, 1883).

Andrew Staples appears in all performances as Andres. The English operatic tenor’s appearance opening night Friday, Dec. 27, 2019, marked his Metropolitan Opera debut.

Peter Mattei appears in all performances in the title role. The Swedish operatic baritone’s Metropolitan Opera debut happened Jan. 24, 2002, as Count Almaviva in the opera company’s 392nd performance of Le Nozze di Figaro by Classical Era composer Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (Jan. 27, 1756-Dec. 5, 1791).

Christian Van Horn appears in all performances as the Doctor. The American bass-baritone’s Metropolitan Opera debut happened Dec. 6, 2013, as Pistola in the opera company’s 176th performance of Verdi’s Falstaff. In the 2019-2020 Met Opera season, Christian Van Horn also appears as Colline in La Bohème by Italian opera composer Giacomo Puccini (Dec. 22, 1858-Nov. 29, 1924) and in the New Year’s Eve Gala and as Alidoro in Cenerentola by 19th century Italian composer Gioachino Rossini (Feb. 29, 1792-Nov. 13, 1868).

The 2019-2020 Met Opera season’s performances of Wozzeck debut new staging by William Kentridge. The South African artist’s new production replaces staging that debuted Feb. 10, 1997, in the opera company’s 45th performance as a new production by American opera and theater director Mark Lamos. The Metropolitan Opera most recently performed Wozzeck, with Lamos’ staging, during the 2013-2014 season.

The Metropolitan Opera website’s page on the 2019-2020 season’s production of Wozzeck notes an inferred setting of Leipzig, Germany, circa 1821, for Georg Büchner’s play and an unspecified place and time for Alban Berg’s opera. William Kentridge sets the opera in the pre-First World War period.

Luc De Wit is credited as co-director of William Kentridge’s new production. The production team comprises Catherine Meyburgh, projection designer; Sabine Theunissen, set designer; Greta Goiris, costume designer; and Urs Schönebaum, lighting designer.

The takeaway for Wozzeck as the Jan. 11, 2020, Met Opera Saturday matinee broadcast is that Alban Berg’s first opera airs at 1 p.m. Eastern Standard Time and numbers as the sixth of 23 Saturday matinees broadcast weekly through Saturday, May 9, 2020.

Swedish operatic baritone Peter Mattei makes his Met Opera role debut in the title role of Alban Berg’s Wozzeck during the 2019-2020 Met Opera season: The Metropolitan Opera @MetOpera, via Facebook May 28, 2019

Acknowledgment

My special thanks to talented artists and photographers/concerned organizations who make their fine images available on the internet.

Image credits:

South African artist William Kentridge’s new production of Alban Berg’s Wozzeck debuted Friday, Dec. 27, 2019, at 8 p.m. EST: The Metropolitan Opera @MetOpera, via Facebook Sept. 4, 2019, @ https://www.facebook.com/MetOpera/posts/10162412560445533

Swedish operatic baritone Peter Mattei makes his Met Opera role debut in the title role of Alban Berg’s Wozzeck during the 2019-2020 Met Opera season: The Metropolitan Opera @MetOpera, via Facebook May 28, 2019, @ https://www.facebook.com/MetOpera/photos/pcb.10161990202300533/10161990174095533/

For further information:

“Debut: Elza van den Heever.” MetOpera Database > [Met Performance] CID: 354759 Metropolitan Opera Premiere Maria Stuarda {1} Metropolitan Opera House: 12/31/2012.
Available @ http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=BibSpeed/fullcit.w?xCID=354759

“Debut: Tamara Mumford.” MetOpera Database > [Met Performance] CID: 351458 Luisa Miller {81} Metropolitan Opera House: 03/13/2006.
Available @ http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=BibSpeed/fullcit.w?xCID=351458

“Debuts: Kim Begley, Christopher Ventris . . .” MetOpera Database > [Met Performance] CID: 350461 Jenufa {32} Metropolitan Opera House: 01/13/2003.
Available @ http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=BibSpeed/fullcit.w?xCID=350461

“Debuts: Peter Mattei, Soile Isokoski.” MetOpera Database > [Met Performance] CID: 350065 Le Nozze di Figaro {392} Metropolitan Opera House: 01/24/2002.
Available @ http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=BibSpeed/fullcit.w?xCID=350065

“Debuts: Peter Van Praet, Paolo Fanale, Carlo Bosi, Christian Van Horn.” MetOpera Database > [Met Performance] CID: 355173 Falstaff {176} Metropolitan Opera House: 12/06/2013.
Available @ http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=BibSpeed/fullcit.w?xCID=355173a

“Debuts: Yannick Nézet-Séguin . . .” MetOpera Database > [Met Performance] CID: 353274 Carmen {946} Metropolitan Opera House: 12/31/2009.
Available @ http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=BibSpeed/fullcit.w?xCID=353274

"Debuts: Yvonne Naef, Gerhard Siegel." MetOpera Database > [Met Performance] CID:350938 Das Rheingold {147} Ring Cycle {103} Uncut. Matinee ed. Metropolitan Opera House: 03/20/2004.
Available @ http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=BibSpeed/fullcit.w?xCID=350938

The Metropolitan Opera @MetOpera. “After wowing audiences with his production of Lulu in 2015, South African artist William Kentridge now focuses his extraordinary visual imagination on Berg’s other operatic masterpiece, Wozzeck. Technical rehearsals are underway for this daring new production, with stunning projections by Catherine Meyburgh and lighting by Urs Schönebaum. On stage December 27–January 22: bit.ly/2lsEXKV Photo by Jonathan Tichler / Met Opera.” Facebook. Sept. 4, 2019.
Available @ https://www.facebook.com/MetOpera/posts/10162412560445533

The Metropolitan Opera @MetOpera. “The Met’s 2019–20 season features many of opera’s orchestral wonders, from the late Romantic lushness of Strauss’s Der Rosenkavalier and Wagner’s Der Fliegende Holländer, starring Sir Bryn Terfel, to the expressive modernism of Berg’s Wozzeck, starring Peter Mattei, and Janáček’s Káťa Kabanová. Save up to 10% with a Create Your Own series of three to five performances: bit.ly/2XlA0Bp Photo by Paola Kudacki / Met Opera.” Facebook. May 28, 2019.
Available @ https://www.facebook.com/MetOpera/photos/pcb.10161990202300533/10161990174095533/

“New Production: Wozzeck.” MetOpera Database > [Met Performance] CID: 327350 New Production Wozzeck {45} Metropolitan Opera House: 02/10/1997.
Available @ http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=BibSpeed/fullcit.w?xCID=327350

“Metropolitan Opera Premiere: Wozzeck.” MetOpera Database > [Met Performance] CID: 181320 Metropolitan Opera Premiere {1} Metropolitan Opera House: 03/5/1959.
Available @ http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=BibSpeed/fullcit.w?xCID=181320