LULU.(broadcast of April 21, 2001)

BROADCAST OF APRIL 21, 2001 SPONSORED BY TEXACO OVER THE TEXACO-METROPOLITAN OPERA INTERNATIONAL RADIO NETWORK, 12 NOON Music and text by Alban Berg, after the tragedies Erdgeist and Buchse der Pandora by Frank Wedekind Act III edited and orchestrated by Friedrich Cerha

THE STORY

PROLOGUE. The Ringmaster invites the audience to view his side show ("Hereinspaziert in die Menagerie"). He orders his assistant to bring the star attraction -- the "serpent" Lulu, the root of all evil.

ACT I. Lulu -- a dancer, rescued from the gutter by Dr. Schon -- is having her portrait done by the Painter. Schon presents his son, the composer Aiwa, to Lulu, then father and son depart. The Painter tries to make love to her, but they are interrupted by the arrival of Lulu's husband, a Professor of Medicine; outraged, he collapses and dies of a stroke. Lulu realizes she is now a rich widow. Shocked at her detachment, the Painter questions her about her moral beliefs and finds she has none. He prays for strength ("Ich mochte tauschen").

The Painter -- now married to Lulu -- prospers from commissions initiated by Schon. An announcement, in the morning's mail, of Schon's engagement to a society girl disturbs Lulu. The doorbell announces a caller -- Schigolch, an old derelict who is part of Lulu's past. Alone with her, he asks for money and compliments her on her good fortune, but she reveals she is bored. As she shows him out, Schon arrives and asks her to remove herself from his life now that he is engaged. Lulu replies that if she belongs to anyone it is to Schon, the only one who has given her real attention. When the Painter comes in, Lulu leaves, and Schon ("Du has eine halbe Million geheiratet") enlightens the Painter about Lulu's checkered past. Shocked, the Painter locks himself in the next room. When Lulu appears, followed by Aiwa, the three break down the door and discover that the Painter has killed himself. Schon calls the police. In the confusion, Lulu coolly tells him, "You'll marry me in the end."

Alwa pours champagne for Lulu in her dressing room, recalling how he first met her, shortly before his mother's death, and hoped his father would marry her. An African Prince appears after Lulu leaves for her next cue; he hopes to marry her. There is a commotion ("Sie hatte einen Ohnmachtsfall"): Lulu has pretended to faint onstage after seeing Schon in the audience with his fiancee. Schon appears ("Wie kannst du die Szene"), indignantly ordering her back onstage. Alwa tells the theater director to go on with the next number, then leaves Schon with Lulu, who suggests that he has not yet married the society girl because he really loves her. Defeated, Schon begs for Lulu's command, and she dictates a letter of renunciation to his fiancee.

ACT II. Lulu, now married to Schon, is saying good-bye to an admirer, the lesbian Countess Geschwitz. Schon, irrational with jealousy, decries the shame and misery of his life ("Das mein Lebensabend"). Complaining of his recent neglect, Lulu coaxes him into their bedroom.