International Conference
 

wozzeck100

Composing | Publishing | Performing Opera, 1918–1939

mdw – University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna

Alban Berg Foundation Vienna

Vienna State Opera

Vienna, April 9–11, 2026

On December 14, 1925, Alban Berg's opera Wozzeck was given its world premiere at the Berlin State Opera. It was the culmination of a lengthy process involving numerous individuals, groups, and institutions – from Berg’s initial search for a subject through various stages of composition, to the preparation and production of the performance material and negotiations with theaters, in which the Viennese publisher Universal Edition played a pivotal role, to the musical and scenic realization on stage.

On the occasion of the 100th anniversary of its premiere, the conference "wozzeck100: Composing | Publishing | Performing Opera, 1918–1939" aims to explore the complex interactions between the numerous individuals and institutions involved. These interactions were not only integral to the genesis of a work and its sources but also reflect the social, economic, and political conditions that shaped the vibrant opera culture during the interwar period.

Program