13.02.2026

THOMAS EBENSTEIN as the Captain at the Graz Oper

With a gripping story combining drama, murder and social commentary, Alban Berg revolutionised the opera tradition in 1925 by presenting Wozzeck, a key work of the 20th century. Based on Georg Büchner's fragmentary drama, Berg's opera depicts a bleak constellation of hopelessness and despair in a “human experiment”. The simple soldier Franz Wozzeck is abused by his captain and a doctor for medical experiments. His wife Marie cheats on him with a drum major. The more Wozzeck's scope for action narrows, the more the captain and doctor – portrayed as two human archetypes – torment him, the greater Wozzeck's distress becomes ...

Berg's dissonant sound world creates an oppressive atmosphere and not only reflects the inner turmoil of the title character, but also allows the audience to experience both the abyss of humanity and its fragility in a touching way.

After his role debut in fall 2024 at the Opéra de Lyon under Daniele Rustioni and a semi-staged performance with the São Paolo Symphony Orchestra, Thomas Ebenstein can now be seen once again as the Captain – a role that has become an integral part of his core repertoire and which, through moral hypocrisy and verbal humiliation, embodies Wozzeck's social oppression in a special way.
 

Cast

Daniel Schmutzhard, Wozzeck
Annette Dasch, Marie
Matthias Koziorowski, Drum Major
Ted Black, Andres
Thomas Ebenstein, Captain
Daheo Kim, Doctor
Wilfried Zelinka, 1st Apprentice
Will Frost, 2nd Apprentice
Martina Fournier, the Fool
Neira Muhić, Margret
Rahpael Weigl / Simeon Ephraem Schnutt, Marie's Boy
Marin Miller, a Soldier

Vassilis Christopoulous, Musical Director
Evgeny Titov, Director
Gideon Davey, Set Design
Klaus Bruns, Costume Design
Sebastian Alphons, Lighting Design
Sarah Kreuz / Thomas Achitz, Video
Katharina John, dramaturgy
Johannes Köhler, choir
Andrea Fournier, singing school

Graz Opera Choir, Graz Opera Extras, Graz Opera Singing School
Graz Philharmonic Orchestra