A meditation on cruelty: Warner‘s new ROH Wozzeck

Sam Furness (Andres) and Christian Gerhaher (Wozzeck)

Brindley Sherratt (Doctor) and Peter Hoare (Captain)

Anja Kampe (Marie) and Clay Hilley (Drum Major)

Christian Gerhaher (Wozzeck) and Anja Kampe (Marie)

Closing scene of Wozzeck

By David Karlin, 20 May 2023

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“you will leave the opera house a changed person, more conscious of what it means to be cruel”

Reviewed at Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, London on 19 May 2023

Berg, Wozzeck

The Royal Opera

Deborah Warner, Director

Hyemi Shin, Set Designer

Nicky Gillibrand, Costume Designer

Adam Silverman, Lighting Designer

Orchestra of the Royal Opera House Covent Garden

Royal Opera Chorus

Christian Gerhaher, Wozzeck

Anja Kampe, Marie

Peter Hoare, Captain

Brindley Sherratt, Doctor

Clay Hilley, Drum major

Sam Furness, Andres

Rosie Aldridge, Margret

The Turn of the Screw at RBO Linbury: Darkness and denial

Eleanor Knight, 26th March

Natalie Abrahami’s mesmerising new production of Britten’s ghostly tale of sexual abuse is very dark indeed.

*****

A riveting Rigoletto revival at the Royal Opera House

Dominic Lowe, 25th March

Sir Mark Elder celebrates 50 years at Covent Garden by returning to his first opera there in 1976 – Verdi's Rigoletto – in a revival of Oliver Mears' excellent 2021 production.

****1

Siegfried at the RBO: Kosky and Pappano surprise and delight

David Karlin, 17th March

A revelatory orchestral performance and a cast led by Andreas Schager, Christopher Maltman and Elisabeth Strid make this a Siegfried for the record books.

*****

Terfel’s craggy Boris Godunov returns to Covent Garden

Mark Pullinger, 29th January

The second revival of Richard Jones' staging of Mussorgsky's original 1869 version of Boris Godunov once again stars the Welsh knight.

****1

Ermonela Jaho returns in triumph to The Royal Opera’s Traviata

Mark Valencia, 8th January

Richard Eyre’s 32-year-old production is rarely out of The Royal Opera’s repertoire for more than a few months at a time, but this particular revival proves very special.

*****

Turandot drowned in an orchestral tsunami at The Royal Opera

David Karlin, 15th December

Andrei Șerban’s 40 year old take on Puccini's tale of the ice princess largely stands the test of time, but Netrebko and Eyvazov are short of their best form.

***11

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David Karlin

David is a co-founder of Bachtrack. He is a musical omnivore interested in almost all types of music, but with a particular love of Italian opera. You can contact him from this link.

A meditation on cruelty: Deborah Warner‘s new Wozzeck at The Royal Opera