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Berg Lulu
English National Opera 21 April 2005 Richard Jones' lavish co-production with Israel and Hamburg is back at ENO, with the fascinating Lisa Saffer as Lulu quick-changing costumes for her numerous assumed personalities - captivating the audience whilst destroying all the men around her on stage (and her lesbian lover too). Paul Daniel steered his orchestra (whose members were practising determinedly in the pit long before curtain-up) with conviction, best during the interludes, and the supporting cast did well with their characterisations of roles which are never more than two-dimensional. Lulu is, finally, a one-woman opera. Critics have noted variously that they have been able to hear almost no words, or "enough of the words audible from the more advantageous seats". Struggling to try to hear the text is a continual distraction from the music as a whole, and the orchestra often seems to be going its own way. I find Lulu far more perplexing than the compact clarity of Wozzeck (about half its length) and ultimately less satisfying. The programme book is illuminating to read afterwards about Wedekind and Berg, with some trenchant thought by Edward Bond, but connecting those with what passes before us on stage is not easy. Paul Daniel is retiring from ENO after this production, but Lisa Saffer's Lulu will be recorded in Chandos's Opera in English series. Surely, now that Chandos has broken into the DVD field so successfully with Vecchi's L’Amfiparnaso, this must be a DVD, with choice of subtitles in English, German and other languages? Performances until May 13; the Coliseum was far from full last night! Photo: Neil Libbert |
rewarded by the Royal Philharmonic Society and the Olivier Award for outstanding achievement in opera.