Classical music: This Saturday brings Alban Berg’s “Lulu,” one of the most unusual and noteworthy offerings of the “Live From the Met in HD” series of operas shown in cinemas this season.

By Jacob Stockinger

This Saturday, “Live From the Met in HD” features Alban Berg’s  opera “Lulu,” a difficult landmark work know for both its 12-tone music and its plot of social commentary, all marked by the violent and decadent German Expressionist sensibility.

The opera will be shown at the Marcus Corporation‘s Point Cinemas on Madison far west side and — now that the Eastgate Cinemas have closed — at the Marcus Palace Cinema in Sun Prairie, a bit past Madison’s far east side.

The production by the Metropolitan Opera in New York City starts at 11:30 a.m. and has a running time, with two intermissions, of 4-1/2 hours. (Below, in a photo by Sara Krulwich of The New York Times, is Marlis Petersen, who is known for the role of Lulu — but who says she will retire the role after this production — and Donald Brenna as a smitten man. Susan Graham, not shown, also stars.)

Tickets are $28 for adults; $22 for seniors; and $18 for young people.

Here is a synopsis and notes about the cast:

http://www.metopera.org/Season/In-Cinemas/SynopsisCast/Lulu/

And here is a link to more about the cast and production with video samples:

http://www.metopera.org/Season/2015-16-Season/lulu-berg-tickets/

The Ear thought some other things might be useful and might whet your appetite to see this unusual production.

Here is a fascinating background piece by Zachary Woolfe of The New York Times, who interviewed several sources involved with the production and are knowledgeable about the opera (below is a photo of the German Expressionist set, taken by Sara Krulwich for The New York Times):

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/11/01/arts/music/in-lulu-the-question-that-stops-an-opera.html

And if you are undecided or wavering about going to the acclaimed production, directed by William Kentridge, here is a rave review by senior music critic Anthony Tommasini of The New York Times:

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/11/07/arts/music/metropolitan-opera-lulu-review.html?ref=topics

 

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Posted in Classical music
Tags: 12-tone, Alban Berg, Anthony Tommasini, Arts, choral music, cinemas, Classical music, decadent, Donald Brenna, Expressionism, Expressionist, German Expressionism, German Expressionist, Jacob Stockinger, Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, Live From The Met in HD, Lulu, Madison, Madison Symphony Orchestra, Marcus Cinemas, Marlis Petersen, Metropolitan Opera, movie theaters, movie theatres, Music, New York City, New York Times, opera, Palace Cinema, Point Cinema, social commentary, Susan Graham, theaters, theatres, United States, University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Music, University of Wisconsin–Madison, violence, violent, vocal music, William Kentridge, Zachary Woolfe