Lulu

Alban Berg's unfinished work about the ultimate femme fatale—Lulu is responsible for the deaths of a string of husbands and suitors before being slain by Jack the Ripper—is one of the recognized masterpieces of 20th-century opera, but it's often considered musically forbidding. One of the strongest elements of this 2009 production from the Royal Opera, Covent Garden—which offers the complete version, with the third act orchestrated by Friedrich Cerha—is the conducting of the Orchestra of the Royal Opera House by Antonio Pappano, who deftly captures the score's combination of modernism and romantic ripeness. The vocalism is splendid as well, with Agneta Eichenholzc superb as Lulu, matched by both Michael Volle in a double role (as her third husband, Dr. Schön, and the Ripper) and Jennifer Larmore (as her lesbian lover, Countess Geschwitz). The weakness here lies on the visual side: Christof Loy's austere production features modern black-and-white costumes and no sets beyond simple panels that the characters often face, immobile. On the other hand, the lack of stage clutter compels one to concentrate on the music, which is excellent, presented here in DTS 5.1 and LCPM stereo on DVD, and DTS-HD 5.1 and PCM stereo on Blu-ray. Extras include interviews with Pappano and Eichenholz and a cast gallery. Highly recommended. (F. Swietek)