BERG: Lulu - Pappano, Royal Opera House Covent Garden (2 DVDs)

Berg: Lulu

Agneta Eichenholz (Lulu), Michael Volle (Dr. Schön/Jack the Ripper), Klaus Florian Vogt (Alwa), Jennifer Larmore (Countess Geschwitz), Philip Langridge (Prince/Manservant/Marquis), Heather Shipp (Dresser/Schoolboy/Groom), Will Hartmann (Painter/Policeman/Negro), Jeremy White (Banker/Professor)

Royal Opera House Covent Garden
Antonio Pappano (conductor) & Christof Loy (director)

Berg's masterful and thought-provoking opera tells the gripping story of the rise and fall of an alluring, destructive but vulnerable woman, culminating in her death at the hands of Jack the Ripper. Christof Loy's austere, minimalist production allows the complexities of the drama to unfold through the sumptuous, taut beauty of the score. Agneta Eichenholz and Michael Volle lead an all-star cast under Antonio Pappano. Philip Langridge took the role of the Prince, in his last stage appearance before his sudden death earlier this year.

Recorded in High Definition and true surround sound.

CONTAINS SCENES OF VIOLENCE

"It is immaculately rehearsed and executed - one doesn't often see opera acted with such freedom and honesty and absence of flummery. And its unsparing analytic clarity forces one to confront the bitter truth about Lulu's inner life and the corruption and idiocy of the men who are infatuated by her...Antonio Pappano's electrifying conducting is razor-sharp in the manner of PierreBoulez, and the orchestral playing is magnificent...Singing with an extraordinary grace and insouciance, Eichenholz manages to make this monster chillingly real and hauntingly beautiful." (The Daily Telegraph)

"Like many productions now staged with an eye to DVD release, the 16:9 shape of the stage and intimacy of gesture certainly make more sense now than they did in the theatre." (Gramophone)

"Robin Lough's direction for the cameras is faithful to Loy's conception and the outstanding cast...As presented here, Lulu is an emotional and musical roller-coaster." (International Record Review)

Extra features
Cast gallery. Interview with Antonio Pappano. Interview with Agneta Eichenholz.