A work of music theatre by Olga Neuwirth

Concept and reworking of the first and second act of Alban Berg's Lulu, music and text for act three by Olga Neuwirth.

Text von Akt I und II gekürzt und adaptiert von Helga Utz und Olga Neuwirth nach einer Übersetzung von Richard Stokes von Catherine Kerkhoff-Saxon.

In English with German subtitles

American Lulu ist a commissioned work of The Opera Group and the Komische Oper Berlin, A co-production with The Opera Group, Scottish Opera and The Young Vic in association with the London Sinfonietta.

Against the male perspective

American Lulu by Olga Neuwirth

Premiere 16 August 2013 – 8 p.m., Werkstattbühne
Duration: 1 3/4 hours, no interval

The multiple award winning Austrian composer Olga Neuwirth takes a new look at one of the most fascinating female figures in the history of theatre. In her reworking of Alban Berg's Lulu, a key work of 20th century opera, the protagonists become Afro-Americans whose story is told against the backdrop of US protest movements of the 1960s and 70s.

Alban Berg's Lulu is an embodiment of the classic femme fatale of the early 20th century: Lulu is the seductive scourge of men. Idolised and yet for ever out of reach, she drives men to despair and suicide one after the other. In American Lulu, Neuwirth looks at Lulu with women's eyes: "What I was aiming for was not to create an authentic Alban Berg all over again, but to reconsider this mystical female figure from the perspective of a woman, a composer of my generation. It was only ever male views that were presented of this female figure Lulu. This male view of female central characters in opera always bothered me."

Additional performance: 17 August – 8 p.m.

Price: 26 Euro
Introductory talk (in German) half an hour before the performance begins (admission free).