Shagalov's film set the opera in a grey city with Wozzeck as part of the invisible workforce. The only moving image was Wozzeck's face after Marie's murder, during a terrifying crescendo. The film was riveting, with faces varying from sickly to mannequin-like, and images resembling old-master paintings or Lucien Freuds. However, the absence of Wozzeck and Marie's child (replaced by pregnancy) and the appearance of Tiffin Boys Choir in school uniform did not quite work. The concert performance below the screen was complete on its own terms, but attention was divided from the singers. The cast included Peter Hoare as the Captain, Annette Dasch as Marie, Brindley Sherratt as the Doctor, Callum Thorpe as the First Apprentice, and Stéphane Degout as Wozzeck.
The Philharmonia orchestra also performed a concert of classical hits and rock arrangements at the festival. Conductor Santtu-Matias Rouvali wore eyeliner after the interval and played drums during Lordi's Hard Rock Hallelujah. The concert included Wagner's Ride of the Valkyries with heavy amplification and electric guitars, bass, and drumkit behind Perspex. Other pieces included Holst's Mars, Mahler's Fifth Adagietto, Vivaldi's Summer Presto, and rock songs by Metallica, Suzi Quatro, Bob Dylan, and Lordi. The audience included a mix of rock and heavy metal fans and office workers. Artistic director Mark Ball warned: "You're in for a very loud evening."
You're in for a very loud evening.
The performance was billed as a one-off, but the reviewer suggests festivals should queue to screen Shagalov's video.