Sunday, May 16, 2010

Lost rights

The oddest thing about this season's revival of Lulu is a cut in the subtitles: in the Countess Geschwitz's just-a-touch-too-late change of heart (right before she and Lulu are stabbed), her declaration that she will fight for women's rights (after going back to university, etc.) was quite intentionally chopped in both Wednesday's and yesterday's performances. As for why somebody decided to make this change? I have no idea.

UPDATE (5/17): To clarify, von Otter still sang the line -- it just wasn't registered in the translation.

1 comment:

  1. I think Wedekind meant this as a joke, that the idea of fighting for women's rights is basically risible. But I don't accept that that's how Berg meant it, and I suppose it does jar with the overwhelming sincerity of that scene. I know a lot of people do still find that detail a bit hard to swallow in the 21st century. Maybe I'm over-analysing a technical glitch.

    ReplyDelete

Absolutely no axe-grinding, please.