Challenging 'Lulu' remains a great story
In two weeks, Lulu will be back in town, in this case Austrian composer Alban Berg's mid-20th century opera "Lulu," coming to Lyric Opera of Chicago for just the second time in the company's history.
That this is one of the most important operas of the past 75 years is no dispute. In fact, another Berg opera, "Wozzeck," composed between 1914 and 1921, belongs on that exalted list, along with Benjamin Britten's "Peter Grimes" from 1945 and maybe one or two others, such as Francis Poulenc's "Dialogues of the Carmelites," which the Lyric presented two seasons ago.
But let's be frank: "Lulu" is not a work you can lovingly embrace as, say, Puccini's "Madama Butterfly," which the Lyric has scheduled for later this season . There is no melodic "Un bel di" or "Humming Chorus" in "Lulu." This is music born of the Second Viennese School, which Berg learned at the feet of that atonal style's most notable exponent, Arnold Schoenberg.
"There's no question the music is more challenging than your 'Carmens,' 'Bohemes' or 'Toscas,' but it's a powerful piece, a wonderful piece of music theater," Lyric Opera general director William Mason said. "I think you have to appreciate it for what it's worth, but it's a great evening in the theater."
So, though you won't find any memorable tunes in "Lulu," when taken on its own terms, it remains great music set to a great story.
"Lulu" is with us today more or less "whole" because others (most notably Vienna-born composer Friedrich Cerha) assembled the unfinished score into a viable three-act performing version several decades after Berg's death in 1935 at age 50.
The first two acts of "Lulu" were performed in 1937, in Zurich, Switzerland, and Berg'a widow, Helene, who died in 1976, decided to stand by the two-act version, which was performed frequently and recorded. In the four decades following her husband's death, she turned down numerous offers by other composers to work on the unfinished third act. One of those composers, incidentally, was American Leonard Bernstein.
Finally, Universal Edition, Berg's Vienna-based publisher, which held all the extant musical materials for "Lulu," approached Cerha, who subsequently between 1962 and 1977 pieced together the third act from Berg's four-part piano score, which he had sketched out before his death. This material included most of the vocal lines, along with crucial notations Berg had made to himself on how he planned to proceed.
Cerha's three-act version of "Lulu" was finally premiered in 1979 in Paris and, like Franco Alfano's famous completion of Puccini's "Turnadot," it has stood the test of time.
"The only time we've previously done 'Lulu' was in 1987, with Catherine Malfitano in the title role," Mason said. "It was a remarkable production, with the Russian director Yuri Lubimov. A lot of people still favorably remember that production because it was so powerful, so strong."
The new production is designed by Kevin Knight and stage-directed by Paul Curran. They both made their Lyric Opera debuts last season with Richard Strauss' "Die Frau ohne Schatten," another 20th century opera that had been absent here for more than two decades.
Starring as Lulu will be soprano Marlis Petersen, and in the dual roles of Dr. Schön and Jack the Ripper will be baritone Wolfgang Schöne. Mezzo-soprano Jill Grove will portray Countess Geschwitz, and Sir Andrew Davis is the conductor.
"Lulu" is a long opera, about 3 hours, 45 minutes including two intermissions. Therefore, the Lyric has moved the evening curtain time to 7 p.m. for the six performances from Nov. 7-25. The Nov. 30 matinee will be at the usual 2 p.m. time.
If you desire to learn more about "Lulu" before attending a performance, Lyric's "Discovery Series" program (which costs $16) will be from 6-7 p.m. Nov. 5 in the UBS Tower Ballroom, 1 N. Wacker Drive, across from the Civic Opera House main entrance. The panel discussion with Marlis Petersen and Sir Andrew Davis will be moderated by Lyric Opera dramaturg Roger Pines.
For "Discovery Series" information, visit lyricopera.org and click on the "Education" link. To purchase tickets for "Lulu," visit this Web site or phone the Civic Opera House box office at (312) 332-2244, Ext. 5600.