Metropolitan Opera's 'Lulu,' a tale of sexuality and manipulation, to be shown at Douglass Theatre in Macon

The long-anticipated production of Alban Berg's "Lulu" has finally come to the stage of the Metropolitan Opera under the direction of William Kentridge. While the 20th-century work opened at Lincoln Center on Nov. 5, it will be broadcast in high-definition at Macon's Douglass Theatre this Saturday.

Berg left the complex 12-tone work unfinished at the time of his death in 1935, but that has in no way impeded its success in subsequent performance. In fact, "Lulu" is said to be one of Met music director James Levine's specialties, although he is not conducting this production, having withdrawn at the last minute in favor of Lothar Koenigs.

Kentridge, a South African artist, was lavishly applauded when he directed Dmitiri Shostakovitch's "The Nose" (based on a story by Nikolai Gogol), and the reviews of "Lulu" suggest that this production will be no less successful.

"Lulu" is said to be based on a pair of plays by Frank Wedekind, and it was during the period of German Expressionism that Berg wrote the libretto for this dark tale of an orphan who grows up into an amoral femme fatale, captivating both heterosexual males and lesbians alike.

Appropriately, the title role is sung by German soprano Marlis Petersen, who is said to be concluding a 20-year run with Lulu in her repertoire.

In the course of this tale of sexuality and manipulation, Lulu goes through three husbands, one of whom she murders. As we would expect from a product of between-the-wars Germany, the tale does not end happily. Expressionism -- and its disillusionment -- is most often thought of in terms of the visual arts and film, but in "Lulu" we see it in full bloom on the operatic stage.

The cast, the set and the direction of this 12-tone opera all have generated enormous enthusiasm from the reviewers. We should expect a crowd when the aptly-named "Lulu" arrives at the Douglass on Saturday.

"Lulu"

When: 12:30 p.m. Nov. 21

Where: Douglass Theatre, 355 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.

Cost: $24 adults, $20 seniors

Information: www.metopera.org/hdlive; 478-742-2000

This story was originally published November 20, 2015 at 9:23 AM with the headline "Metropolitan Opera's 'Lulu,' a tale of sexuality and manipulation, to be shown at Douglass Theatre in Macon ."