Act One

Scene 1
Wozzeck is shaving the captain. He taunts Wozzeck, who merely replies ‘jawohl, Herr Hauptmann’.

Scene 2
Wozzeck and his friend Andres are cutting sticks. Wozzeck is gripped by visions and hallucinations. Andres tries to bring him to his senses.

Scene 3
Marie, Wozzeck's partner and the mother of their child, watches a marching band go by. Neighbour Margret remarks that Marie is charmed by the drum major.

Scene 4
The doctor uses Wozzeck as a guinea pig for his experiments.

Scene 5
Marie and the drum major make advances towards each other.

Act Two

Scene 1
Marie has received a pair of earrings from the drum major. Wozzeck notices them and asks questions.

Scene 2
The doctor and the captain bump into each other and their exchange escalates. When Wozzeck passes by, they allude to the affair between Marie and the drum major.

Scene 3
Wozzeck confronts Marie. Marie snaps at him, saying she would rather be stabbed than be touched by him.

Scene 4
A party in a tavern. Wozzeck sees Marie and the drum major dancing together. Wozzeck is accosted by a fool.

Scene 5
Wozzeck cannot sleep. The drum major stumbles in, drunk and looking for a fight. He beats up Wozzeck.

Act Three

Scene 1
Marie has pangs of conscience and searches for answers in the Bible.

Scene 2
Wozzeck and Marie are walking by a pond. He stabs her with a knife.

Scene 3
A frenzied Wozzeck dances in the tavern with Margret. The mood changes when she notices that Wozzeck is stained with blood.

Scene 4
Wozzeck returns to the pond to cover his tracks. He throws the knife into the water. When he tries to wash away the blood, he drowns.

Scene 5
Some children hear that a body has been found and want to go and look. Wozzeck and Marie's child plays with his hobby horse and sings ‘Hopp, hopp!’.