Alban Berg Opera Lulu
Plot Synopsis and Character Description of a German Tragic Drama
Alban Berg (February 9, 1885 – December 24, 1935) composed Lulu, a three-act German tragedy, libretto adapted on the plays "Erdgeist" and "Die Büchse der Pandora" by Frank Wedekind. It was premiered at the Stadttheater, Zürich, June 2, 1937 with the first two acts as the third act was left unfinished. The setting: a German city, Paris, and London, about 1890.
Notable arias: "Pussi" (Lulu,) "Wach auf!" (Painter) and "Kuss! Einen Kuss!" (Alwa's hymn.)
Twelve years later, Lulu followed Alban Berg's first opera, Wozzeck. He used the musical form with twelve-tone serialism to reflect dramatic content. There are musical interludes between scenes.
Main Character Roles of Lulu
- Lulu, a dancer (Soprano)
- Countess Geschwitz (Mezzo-soprano)
- A Schoolboy (Contralto)
- The Painter (Tenor)
- Dr Schön, a Newspaper editor (Baritone)
- Alwa, His son, a writer and composer (Tenor)
- Schigolch, An old man (Bass)
- An Animal Trainer (Bass)
- Rodrigo, An Athlete (Bass)
- The Prince / Marquis, A procurer and traveler in Africa (Tenor)
Plot Summary / Synopsis of Lulu
Prologue
As at a circus, an animal trainer comes out and addresses the audience on the wonderful wild beasts which they are about to see – notably the tiger and the bear. He makes an assistant carry out in his arms the dangerous serpent – Lulu dressed for the first scene, then put back on the stage.
Act I. Painter's Studio-Apartment, later, the Theater
Scene 1. The Painter's Studio
The painter is painting Lulu as Pierrot. Dr Schön is there and Alwa drops in to pick up his father. They are surprised not to find Lulu's professor-banker husband. After Schön and Alwa leaves, the painter and Lulu flirt with each other. Her husband arrives and catching them in an uncompromising situation, dies of heart attack. Lulu realizes she is rich.
Scene 2. Painter's Apartment
Lulu and the painter are now married. Schigolch arrives to beg for money, which Lulu gives. When the bell rings again he leaves, and Dr Schön enters. He asks Lulu to break their affair as he is now engaged. Lulu brushes this off and leaves. Schön warns him about his wife and reveals that he has known her since she was 12, and that the beggar who called is her father. Upset, the painter locks himself in his room. Alwa arrives and helps his father break down the door. The painter has cut his throat. Lulu announces her eventual marriage to Schön.
Scene 3. Lulu's Dressing-Room in a Theatre
Alwa is with Lulu in her dressing room. The prince arrives and speaks of his desire to marry her. Suddenly there is confusion and Lulu is brought in. She is shaken having spotted Schön with his fiancée in the audience. Schön rushes in, furious at her behavior. Lulu agrees to resume her dance a little later. Left alone with Schön, she threatens to marry the prince and taunts him with his inability to break his engagement. Finally he surrenders as she dictates to him a letter to his fiancée, breaking off the engagement.
Act II. Schön's Residence
Scene 1. A Luxurious Hall in Schön's Residence
Schön and Lulu are now married. Countess Geschwitz makes a social call and is taken with Lulu. Geschwitz hides when she hears men's conversation. It was Schigolch with a lovesick schoolboy, and Rodrigo. It appears that Schigolch is not her father, and that all three are in love with Lulu. When Alwa arrives, they all hide. Lulu encourages him to declare his love. Schön, also hiding, and in jealous fury, takes Alwa away, hands Lulu his revolver, with which to shoot herself. When Schön continues to behave melodramatically she shoots him instead. She pleads with Alwa to save her but he does not intervene when the police officer.
Scene 2. The Once Luxurious Hall in Schön's now a Mess
Geschwitz, Rodrigo and Schigolch plan to rescue Lulu from jail. The schoolboy appears with his own rescue plan, but when told she's dead, he departs. Lulu returns in Geschwitz's clothes supported by Schigolch. She explains how she freed herself: that the countess and her intentionally contracted cholera and were admitted to the same hospital. When the countess was discharged, she selflessly remained behind in place of Lulu. Rodrigo is disgusted and walks out. Lulu seduces Alwa and together, they run off to Paris.
Act III. Paris and London
Scene 1. Paris
Lulu lives with Alwa but is being blackmailed by Rodrigo, Schigolch, and a procurer, who is one of her lovers. She is destitute and the procurer threatens to expose her as Dr. Schön's murderer unless she agrees to be sold to an Egyptian brothel. She and Alwa escape to London.
Scene 2. Attic in a London Slum
Lulu is now a prostitute, keeping Alwa and Schigolch. Alwa himself is too sick to work having contracted a social disease from Lulu. The devoted Geschwitz has followed her from Paris. Lulu receives three clients – a professor, a negro who kills Alwa, and Jack the Ripper. Jack kills Lulu and Geschwitz.
Sources:
Martin, Nicholas Ivor. The Da Capo Opera Manual, New York, Da Capo, 1997
Morley, Sir Alexander F.. The Harrap Opera Guide. London: Harrap, 1970
Alban Berg, Composer of Lulu and Wozzeck
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