Wozzeck (Gurlitt)

Wozzeck (op. 16) is a 1926 German-language opera in 18 scenes and one epilogue by Manfred Gurlitt after the fragmentary WoyzeckbyGeorg Büchner. It was premiered 22 April 1926 in Bremen, four months after the better known opera WozzeckbyAlban Berg had been premiered at the Berlin State Opera on 14 December 1925. The two composers were unaware of each other's projects, being among many artists stimulated by the publication of Büchner's play.^[1] Berg, unsettled by his publisher Universal Edition also publishing another opera on the same material so quickly reviewed Gurlitt's piano score, and in a letter to Erich Kleiber noted Gurlitt's work's quality and originality, but found the "broth" watered down. This verdict reflects Berg's own Wagnerian influences, while Gurlitt was nearer to the aesthetics of Paul Hindemith and Kurt Weill.^[2]