Track Listing

Disc 1:

1. Prolog: Hereinspaziert in die Menagerie - Gerd Nienstedt
2. Act I: Scene 1: Darf ich eintreten?-Mein Sohn!/Intro/Canon/Coda - Kenneth Riegel/Franz Mazura/Teresa Stratas/Robert Tear
3. Act I: Scene 1: Melodram: Machen Sie auf!/Canzonetta: Auf einmal springt er auf/Recitativo... - Toni Blankenheim/Teresa Stratas/Robert Tear
4. Act I: Scene 2: Eva!-Befehlen?/Duettino: Ich finde, du siehst heute reizend aus - Teresa Stratas/Robert Tear
5. Act I: Scene 2: 1. Chm Music 1: Den hab' ich mir auch ganz anders vorgestellt - Teresa Stratas/Toni Blankenheim
6. Act I: Scene 2: 1. Chm Music 1: Was tut denn Ihr Vater da?/Sonate: Wenn ich Mann ware - Franz Mazura/Teresa Stratas
7. Act I: Scene 2: Monoritmica: Nun?-Du hast eine halbe Million geheiratet - Franz Mazura/Teresa Stratas/Franz Mazura
8. Act I: Scene 2: Monoritmica: Ich darf mich jetzi hier nicht sehen lassen - Franz Mazura/Teresa Stratas/Robert Tear
9. Act I: Scene 3: Interlude - Pierre Boulez/Orch de l'Opera de Paris
10. Act I: Scene 3: Ragtime: Seit ich fur die Buhne arbeite/(English Waltz): Noch etwas, bitte - Kenneth Riegel/Teresa Stratas
11. Act I: Scene 3: Uber die Lie_e sich Freilich eine interessante Oper schreiben/Choral... - Kenneth Riegel/Helmut Pampuch/Teresa Stratas/Frnaz Mazura/Hanna Schwarz...
12. Act I: Scene 3: Son Dev: Wie kannst du die Szene gegen mich ausspielen?/(Fin Son Recap)... - Franz Mazura/Teresa Stratas

Disc 2:

1. Act I: Scene 1: Sie glauben nicht, wie ich mich darauf freue/Kavatine: Konntest du dich fur... - Franz Mazura/Teresa Stratas/Yvonne Minton
2. Act I: Scene 1: Gott sei Dank da_ wir endlich zuhause sind/(Canon): Er hat sie namlich... - Teresa Stratas/Toni Blankenhein/Hanna Schwarz/Helmut Pampuch
3. Act II: Scene 1: Die Matinee wird, wie ich mir dneke, bei elktrischem Licht stattfinden - Kenneth Riegel/Teresa Stratas/Robert Tear/Helmut Pampuch
4. Act II: Scene 1: Sein Vater!-In Paris ist Revolution ausgebrochen/Intro: Wo ist denn der hin?... - Teresa Stratas/Robert Tear/Kenneth Riegel/Gerg Nienstedt...
5. Act II: Scene 1: Lied der Lulu: Wenn sich die Menshen um meinetwillen umgebracht haben... - Robert Tear/Teresa Stratas/Kenneth Riegel/Hanna Schwarz...
6. Act II: Scene 1: Ostinato: Interlude (film music) - Pierre Boulez/Orch de l'Opera de Paris
7. Act II: Scene 2: Er la_t auf sich warten wie ein Kapellmeister - Gerd Nienstedt/Yvonne Minton/Toni Brankenheim/Kenneth Riegel
8. Act II: Scene 2: Largo: Sie wolten der verruckten Rakete noch Geld geben!/Chm Music... - Kenneth Riegel/Hanna Schwarz/yvonne Minton
9. Act II: Scene 2: (Melodram): Hu, kleine Lulu/O Freiheit! Herr Gott im Himmel! - Teresa Stratas/Gerd Nienstedt/Kenneth Riegel/Toni Blankenhiem...
10. Act II: Scene 2: Wenn deine beiden gro_en Kinderaugen nicht waren/Hymne... - Kenneth Riegel/Teresa Stratas

Disc 3:

1. Act III: Moderato (Piano)/Scene 1: Meine Herrn und Damen! Gestatten Sie, da_ich trinke... - Gerd Nienstedt/Jules Bastin/Teresa Stratas/Kenneth Reigel/Helmut Pampuch...
2. Act III: Scene 1: II. Ensemble: Brilliant! Es geht brilliant - Teresa Stratas / Yvonne Minton
3. Act III: Scene 1: II. Ensemble: Einen Moment! Hast du meinen Brief gelesen? - Teresa Stratas/Jules Bastin/Gerd Nienstedt/Hanna Schwarz
4. Act III: Scene 1: II. Ensemble: Ich brauche namlich notwendig Geld - Toni Blankenhiem/Teresa Stratas
5. Act III: Scene 1: Cadenz: Behandeln Sie mich doch wenigstens anstandig - Helmut Pampuch/Teresa Stratas/Gerd Nienstedt
6. Act III: Scene 1: Cadenz: Marth! Mein liebes Herz, du kannst mich heute vor dem Tode retten - Helmut Pampuch/Teresa Stratas/Yvonne Minton
7. Act III: Scene 1: (III. Ensemble): Wollen Sie wohl diese Aktie akzeptieren - Jules Bastin/Kenneth Riegel/Claude Meloni/Jane Manning/Anna Ringart...
8. Act III: Scene 1: Vars I-IV: Interlude - Pierre Boulez/Orch de l'Opera de Paris
9. Act III: Scene 2: Der Regen trommelt zur Parade - Teresa Stratas/Kenneth Riegel/Toni Blankenheim
10. Act III: Scene 2: Wenn ich dir ungelegen komme/(Quartett): Ihr Korper stand out auf dem Hohepunkt - Yvonne Minton/Kenneth Riegel/Toni Blankneheim/Teresa Stratas
11. Act III: Scene 2: Komm nur herein, mein Schatz - Teresa Stratas/Toni Blankenheim/Robert Tear
12. Act III: Scene 2: Der Herr Doktor haben sich schon zur Ruhe begeben - Yvonne Minton/Toni Blankenheim
13. Act III: Scene 2: Wer ist das? - Franz Mazura/Teresa Stratas
14. Act III: Scene 2: (Nocturno): Das ist der letze Abend/Lulu! Mein Engel! - Franz Mazura/Teresa Stratas/Yvonne Minton

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #158998 in Music
• Released on: 2001-09-11
• Number of discs: 3
• Format: Box set

Amazon.com essential recording
One of the bewitchments of this performance is that Pierre Boulez leaves unreconciled the two conflicting tendencies of Berg's music--on the one hand, grand Romantic opera; on the other, dodecaphony. Their clash is the hinge of Berg's exhilarating composition, and, once perceived correctly, it's a drama of almost unbearable intensity. The dense instrumental texture is brought out in stunning detail. Yes, Teresa Stratas is occasionally unsteady in the title role. But this is the King Lear of opera roles: probably unperformable and altogether unforgettable. --Joshua Cody

Customer Reviews

great opera, not a very good version
Teresa Stratas is perfect, Boulez makes his own interpretation. Is not the best. The three acts (completed by another guy) is less effective and less real. I wont recommend this version at all. Christine's remain the very best.

Martin

Very strange, but very exciting
This recording of Berg's posthumous opera, Lulu, is quite a thing one would take in as masterpiece or despise. That is, barring the singers themselves. Some call it unpleasant and jarring, others say it has more depthful beauty than any other opera.
I say, first, of the opera itself. I was deeply into romanticism before this point, and now I rethink my tastes. True, Lulu can have intensely romantic stretches, but also something more. Something more real, that is. The 12-tone composition can be difficult, but just listen, and it dawns. It is face-paced and exciting, and always very convincing dramatically, due to the tendancy of the format to follow patterns of speech rather than melodies that are "pleasant to the ear," Of course, through this all, Lulu manages to be very pleasant to the ear, if you have an open mind.
First, I was hooked in by the very abstract and interesting story. Lulu, I thought at first, was just one of those "chew them up and spit them out" heroines, but that is not father from the truth. She lives in an innocent world of her own, completely oblivious to the princples of right and wrong. It is the twisted desires, devious actions, character flaws and infortitudes of those surrounding her that give her the illusion of being corrupt. The libretto, writtten by the composer, is brilliant. It brings out a captivating and very risque story-- banned later in Nazi Germany for being "degenerate art."
As for the singing, I have a few comments as well. I've heard some rather harsh criticisms concerning Teresa Stratas in the title role. I think they are unwarranted. Stratas is an artist I have immense respect for, and I think her the perfect Lulu. She has a remarkable meekness in her stage-presence and voice that draws sympathy and pathos. This, in conflict with the character's actions, show what Lulu was intended to be. Her voice is glorious in this recording, and she sends a chilling stillness through her occasional coloratura that give perfect effect. Many claim she's too unsure too be Lulu, but I think that makes this recording. Of course, the other singers are top-rate as well. Kenneth Reigel as Alwa never falters on the high notes, but barrages them gracefully. Yvonne Minton plays a warm Geswitz, though not as adapted to sprechstimme as the rest of the crew. However, her final dying plea to Lulu, after Jack the Ripper leaves is intensely haunting and moving. And, lastly, we have a properly ill-tempered Dr. Schon.
If you wish to try sopmething new, grab a copy of this recording-- a great rendition of a sadly neglected opera.

Most effective opera I've ever heard
This is an amazing set, well recorded and well played. It is Boulez conducting the full three act version of the opera, and it was Boulez who conducted the first performance of the three act version of this opera, so the performanc can be regarded as authoritative.
I am not really an opera fan, and generally I can't stand opera at all, but for me there is something about this opera and its companion Wozzeck which set them apart from other operas. They are revolutionary in the way they deal with real people rather than mythical kings and fairy tales, or 'big' historical events. This can make the emotional impact of the music far deeper psychologically, as it strikes closer to home without pretentiosity of any kind- it seems to be more real, as you can identify with the failings in the characters, and the neuroses and psychological problems with which the characters are afflicted seem to come as a direct result of their immorality.
The music and the extreme speed with which the words are sung, overlapping with high intensity make the piece very exciting. For some, perhaps younger people, this stuff could serve as a good introduction to opera, as it moves at a far greater pace and has a much more exciting storyline than a Wagner, a Puccini or a Richard Strauss.
The style in which the work is written is Alban Berg's twelve tone style, which scares some listeners, and to be fair, if all you've ever listened to is 19th century or 18th century music, the style will be a bit unfamiliar and sound odd, but Berg is not really difficult like say - Webern. Once you are used to his style , which will take quite a few listenings, he comes across as one of the most emotionally intense composers ever - makes Mahler sound like chicken feed.
So this is highly recomended if you like your music exciting, intricate and emotional