Lulu

Over the years, both performers and audiences have become more comfortable with the combination of the astringently atonal and the lushly romantic in Alban Berg's unfinished 1937 opera Lulu, although the plot—revolving around the titular amoral seductress who leads a succession of men to their doom before descending into prostitution and being killed by Jack the Ripper—will always remain deeply unsettling. In this 2010 Salzburg Festival mounting, the full version of the work (with the third act orchestrated by Friedrich Cerha) is presented in a stunning performance, with the Vienna Philharmonic playing with incredible power and finesse under conductor Marc Albrecht, and the cast uniformly first-rate. Patricia Petibon sings and acts the part of Lulu to near perfection, matched at every turn by Michael Volle, who assumes the joint role of her longtime lover/third husband Dr. Schön, and the Ripper. Similarly fine in the supporting slots are Pavol Breslik (The Painter), Tanja Ariane Baumgartner (Countess Geschwitz), Thomas Piffka (Alwa), and Franz Grundheber (Schigolch). Happily, the music is complemented by an equally impressive physical production, with imaginative sets by Daniel Richter and smart staging by Vera Nemirova. Presented on DVD and Blu-ray with Dolby Digital 5.0 and LPCM stereo options, this is highly recommended. Editor's Choice. (F. Swietek)