Berg: Lulu

Masterpiece of 12-tone technique with lyricism

     

Lulu is an achievement of using 12-tone serialism (atonality) to a lyrical level. The main series in Lulu is hexachordally combinatorial (a big deal for music theorists and musicologists since it is so rare). Lulu is not something you want to listen to in the car on the way to work, and it shouldn't be such. Lulu is a work to be listened to in private with a score, and to be experienced live. If looking for a good live performance available on DVD, Christina Schaeffer does a great performance in the title coloratura role. In this recording, Teresa Stratas does a steller performance, reaching new heights in coloratura. This was the first recording of the completed Lulu, as Berg died before completing it. It was later completed by Cerha about 40 years later. I highly suggest this opera, I got it at 16 and have loved listening to it, and studying it ever since.