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In this 2000 concert, conductor Pierre Boulez and the Chicago Symphony tackle three 20th-century works that are the specialty of the orchestra's former music director. The suite from Alban Berg's unfinished opera, Lulu, is revealed as substantive and compelling. Soprano Christine Schaefer exquisitely sings Lulu's short vocal interludes, and is also featured in Claude Debussy's sublime vocal settings Le Jet d'eau et Trois Ballades de Villon. Finally, Boulez's forces give Stravinsky's first full-length ballet, The Firebird, an electrifying run-through. As a bonus, there's a fascinating talk between Boulez and his successor in Chicago, Daniel Barenboim. For an informative 20 minutes, the maestros discuss their approaches to music, even touching on how to deal with Richard Wagner in the 21st century. --Kevin Filipski
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