Berg: Lulu (Metropolitan Opera)

This is a difficult operas to perform, as well as a difficult one to watch, even when it’s performed correctly and in accordance with the directives of its composer, Alban Berg. It’s the story of a hard, calculating, somewhat unbalanced woman, who, almost constantly, moves or plans to move, from one lover or spouse, to another lover or spouse. All of those lovers or spouses seem to be at least one brick short of having his or her hod full. The opera was written to take place in the late 19th century but this performance (and I use that term VERY loosely, in this review), seems to have moved the venue into the early 20th century, which, in theory, should not significantly affect the details. I’m not sure where to start, with what’s wrong with this performance. Act one starts with a circus barker, introducing Lulu, as a snake, atop the shoulders of a circus performer. Nonsensical? Absolutely, unless you want to start with the idea that the whole of this presentation is supposed to be nothing more than a circus! The performance goes downhill, from there. Between the acts, we are forced to spend time in the orchestra pit, watching Levine conduct and several members of the orchestra play their instruments. That is unacceptable. We do not buy a DVD of any opera, to spend time watching the orchestra perform. Opera music should be heard, as background, not seen. In addition to that, the loudness of the orchestra, intermittently, drowns much of the so-called singing. Julia Migenes, as Lulu, screeches or screams many of her vocals. There isn’t a quality voice in as much of this presentation as I was able to watch. I turned it off, about two-thirds of the way into the 2nd act. It was just that bad. I cannot rate any voice, in this presentation, above a C- grade. Don’t waste your time or money.

We saw this production last year at the Met, and thought that the performance was outstanding.When I saw the DVD on Amazon, I assumed that it was the same performance. I was wrong.This is, indeed, the same production, but the performance took place over thirty years ago, with a different cast, and James Levine at the helm. The only production difference that I could see (apart from the cast and conductor) was the slide show during the cinematic center of the opera. This was omitted from the 2010 version.It's superb. A very young James Levine is positively bursting with enthusiasm, coaxing every ounce of melody out of Berg's potentially opaque score. It's clear from his expression that he's loving every minute of it.The singers were outstanding - worthy of note were Julia Migenes, in the title role, portraying Lulu as a mixture of predator and victim; there's something about her portrayal which reminds me of Salome. Evelyn Lear brought a lovely mezzo voice to the tragic figure of Countess Geschwitz, and Franz Mazura as Doctor Schön/Jack the Ripper had immense stage presence.For some reason, there seem to be some very expensive versions of this DVD out there. I'm not sure why, but this one was about the normal price for an opera.Go on, buy it. You know you want to.

To make this review easy: I think that the back of the DVD box of this nearly 40 year old vintage production says it all, if diplomatically:"Alban Berg's Lulu has finally made it to the Metropolitan Opera declared The New York Times when this production premiered in 1977. [And filmed in 1980]. This Lulu is an experience that all adventurous music lovers will want to sample. Met Music Director James Levine long a champion of this ground breaking work, was the driving artistic force behind Lulu's highly anticipated Met premiere. The riveting singing actress Julia Magenes stars in the title role of this 1980 Lulu from the Met telecast, in a production by the great John Dexter that the Times called "the year's major operatic event." ...

This version is a good value for the money. It features the amazing Julia Migenes early in her career, and she shines in this incredibly difficult role. I have long admired the gutsy way she tackles the big roles (such as Carmen in the Da Rosa movie of 1984). James Levine is in top form with the orchestra and I really liked the video work in filming the orchestra. The biggest minus, I think, is the video quality, which seems grainy and faded with age in color . This takes away from the quality of the costumes and the set design. Sound quality was good, though I've heard better in later digital DVDs of this work.

Very interesting!!The performances are all extremely good. Julia Migenes,I guess,was born to play the part of Lulu!! The opera is real interesting musically,but,it's the acting and the visual that really get's you involved in this opera. Performances are great.If you do as I did where I just wanted to learn this work this would be the dvd to get. As an opera I like Wozzek better,but,give this a standing ovation as well as the cast and James Levine.

I have been waiting for a commercial release of this broadcast for over thirty years. During that time I've had to satisfy myself with my old VHS copy and subsequent DVD transfer.This is one of the greatest telecasts in MET history. Everybody is excellent. Some of you may not know that Stratas cancelled that afternoon and the three-month pregnant Migenes and her husband just came back home from Christmas shopping when she got word. They rushed to the MET and made it just in time for the curtain. This was revealed in a SIXTY MINUTES interview.Get this DVD before it disappears.

I purchased this DVD out of curiosity without expecting to enjoy anything composed in the 12 tone scale.

It was dark... the singing was superb. Miss the old Met Opera Stars.

I had no problem

It seems strange to talk in terms of a 'traditional' production of an opera which crossed so many boundaries and annoyed - more than shocked - the establishment for many decades, but there have truly been so many interpretations of this piece that this traditionally staged version performed and filmed in 1980 - shortly after the premiere of the three act version in Paris - is important to see.No recording or film to my knowledge exists of the slightly earlier American premiere in Santa Fe so this is the nearest performance to the Paris premiere.Before the more recent productions in Barcelona, London and Salzburg etc. that have appeared on DVD, a lot of Lulu lovers who couldn't travel round every European Opera House were relegated to trawling the pits of YouTube for glimpses of interpretations. If you've hated productions of Berg's masterpiece with Lulu dumped in a skip next to a topless Geschwitz, seen Lulu acting badly in a cage during the Film Music, or watched a strange character stab revolving perspex boxes during the final murder scene, then this Met Opera production is for you.Because of this production's proximity to the Paris premiere which I never liked for its neglect of stage directions and generally uninspiring portrayal, this more traditional setting about a year later for the newly completed opera did the trick for me. The production is definitely one for those who want to see exactly what Berg intended on stage. As someone who studied the score and the opera's history many years ago with people from the post-war musical establishment with intimate connections to the Second Viennese School itself, I wasn't disappointed. Not much film survives of earlier two act versions from Europe or the USA so this is basically "it" as far as authenticity goes, and no other dvd available has this level of attention to the original staging as marked in the score.Julia Migenes is simply wonderful in the title role, in voice and acting. She maintains an emotionless gaze beyond the action and out into the audience that fully brings out this questionable character's mystique. Veterans Franz Mazura (Dr Schon) and Andrew Foldi (Schigolch) are brilliant, and Kenneth Riegel as Alwa fresh from the Paris premiere (as is Mazura) here clothed in action and style more suited to the character. His sudden death in Act III is extremely well acted. Geschwitz is wonderfully portrayed by Evelyn Lear (herself once a champion of the title role). Particular mention must go to Hilda Harris as the Schoolboy and the Page, for bringing such a minor character to life.The film quality itself is decently restored from a telecast and the orchestra sound is good; the piano and vibraphone are well heard (as is much turning of pages!) However at times the voices are lost behind this but it's a downfall we have to accept in the light of such a glut of more recent well recorded cinecasts. In my opinion Levine moves the music on with a drive and a certainty that sadly lacked in Boulez's flat interpretation. Not all of Lulu was written in serial technique; it is free and romantic at many points, so should never be approached as a totally serial piece.

Una gozada. Endiablada movilidad escénica. Y la música, difícil, pero por eso mismo apasionante. Sí, eran todavía buenos tiempos para la cultura. Quizás los últimos buenos tiempos. Cuando sus manifestaciones no sólo eran un reflejo de su tiempo sino de los tiempos que iban a venir. Porque, ¿quién de aquellos que vean y disfruten con "Lulú" no pueden pensar, a la vez que la ven y disfrutan, en los terroríficos años que iban a llegar a continuación: Hitler, el exterminio judío, Hiroshima, Stalin, Corea, Vietnam,...?

Perhaps the greatest opera recording of Berg's "Lulu". The haunting subject matter is brought to life by the unusually superb acting of the singers, and the dexterity of the singing voices, not to mention the wonderful conducting by James Levine. My only disappointment was that the "silent movie" which was created for this performance consisted only of a series of cartoon-like drawings on a backdrop.

J'ai acheté ce DVD pour Migenes-Johnson en pensant à sa Carmen. Elle n'est pas une "grande voix" mais elle campe une femme fatale érotique et crédible. Pouvait-on trouver meilleur choix? Un point noir est l'absence de sous-titres dans une langue autre que l'américain. Heureusement, les sous-titres sont, en fait, en franglais et restent compréhensibles pour les spectateurs que nous sommes à condition, tout de même, de maitriser un minimum d'anglais. Ce fait révèle, hélas, le mépris dans lequel les américains tiennent le reste du monde. A acquérir pour les inconditionnels de Migenes-Johnson. Sinon préférez la version avec Christine Schaeffer.