Editing Lulu (opera) (section)

===Act 3===
''Scene 1: A spacious drawing room in Lulu's luxurious house in Paris. Lulu's portrait hangs on the wall. The guests are assembled''

Lulu is living in Paris under the alias of a French countess. A grand birthday party is taking place at her house and the athlete who is planning to get married proposes a toast to her. The Marquis shows an unusual interest in the 15-year-old girl. The guests move to the gaming room to play [[Baccarat (card game)|baccarat]]. The conversation moves to discussing shares in the Jungfrau Railway, which most of the guests at the party have invested in to varying extents, and which appear to be performing magnificently.

The Marquis has discovered Lulu's true identity, and is blackmailing her (''duet'':''Sag es nur gleich heraus, wieviel du haben willst''; Tell me without delay, how much money you want), threatening to hand her over to the authorities. She offers herself to him, having had a previous affair, but his interests lie more in trafficking women and girls for commercial sexual exploitation, ''Lied des Mächenhändlers'': ''Ich sagte dir doch, daß ich auch Mächenhändler bin'' (song of the human tafficker: I told you I am a white slave trader). Again, Lulu sings about who she is and what she has become, as in her act II Lied; ''Ich tauge nicht für diesen Beruf. Als ich fünfzehn Jahre alt war, hätte mir das gefallen können'' (I'm no good for this sort of work, when I was fifteen it was different, I might have enjoyed it). The Marquis indicates he could summon the policeman stationed out in the street and claim the reward for her capture, but he would get a far higher price by selling her to a Cairo brothel to which he has sent a picture of her portrait as Eve. She offers to pay him, but he is aware that Alwa's fortune is all in the railway shares, and he wants cash, giving her a deadline later that day. She reads a note the athlete handed her just before the Marquis confronted her and learns that he too wants to blackmail her. Geschwitz accuses her of not returning the favours and affection she showed Lulu when they were in hospital. The athlete returns and makes apparent that he is still interested in Lulu's affections and also gives her a deadline, ''duet'': ''Einen Moment! Hast du meinen Brief gelesen?'' (One Moment! Have you read my note?). A telegram arrives for the Banker informing him the railway shares are now worthless. When Schigolch arrives, asking for money for his girlfriend (''duet'': ''Ich brauche nämlich notwendig Geld...Ich miete meiner Geliebten eine Wohnung''; I need some money now, I am renting an apartment for my lover), Lulu collapses in despair but confides in him.

Schigolch too has designs upon Lulu, but she persuades him that if he can arrange for the athlete's death she will give him the money, which he says he will do if she can persuade the athlete to come to his home, which she promises. The Marquis suspects the athlete, but he denies it. Lulu then convinces the athlete that if he spends the night with Geschwitz, she will pay Lulu, who can then pay him the blackmail money. She then persuades the countess that she will give herself to her if she spends the night with the athlete. Although puzzled, Geschwitz agrees to the bargain. Having achieved this, Lulu turns to her valet and orders him to change clothes with her. The news of the railway collapse spreads through the company to general despair. Lulu, dressed as her valet, informs Alwa they have been discovered and the police are on their way, and they escape. Again the scene ends with the arrival of the police, who confront the valet before realising their mistake.

''Scene 2: A windowless garret in London, with a leaking skylight. A bucket collects water dripping from the skylight. On the floor a torn mattress. A door leads to Lulu's bedroom''

Alwa and Schigolch are discussing their predicament. They and Lulu are now living in poverty and on the run. It is Lulu's first day of work as a ''Freudenmädchen'' (sex worker), from which they intend to make a living, although Alwa is ambivalent. When they hear Lulu approaching with her first client, a professor,{{efn|The professor is played by the same person as Dr. Goll, her first husband}} they hide. The professor remains silent throughout, is very gentle and pays her generously. Lulu is thrilled. Geschwitz, now shabbily dressed, then arrives with the portrait of Lulu, which she has removed from the frame and brought from Paris. Lulu is disturbed at seeing it, but Alwa is inspired and hangs it on the wall, believing it will please the clients, and they discuss the fate of the artist, ''quartet'': ''Ihr Körper stand auf dem Höhepunkt'' (Her body, then, was at it highest peak). Lulu goes out to prove her attractiveness, leaving with Geschwitz. Alwa reveals that Lulu had contracted venereal disease from the Marquis and in turn passed it on to him.

Lulu returns with her second client, the Negro,{{efn|The negro is played by the same person as the artist, her second husband}} ''Komm nur herein, mein Schatz! Komm!'' (Come in, my love! Come in!), who becomes angry at being asked to pay in advance and attacks her. Alwa rushes to her defence but is killed by the Negro, who then leaves, followed by Lulu in despair while Schigolch removes the body. Geschwitz returns, saying Lulu sent her away, while Schigolch leaves. She produces a gun and considers killing herself, bitterly believing that Lulu would shed ''mir keine Träne nach'' (not one tear for me), then changes her mind and goes to hang herself, pausing first in reverence before Lulu's portrait. She is interrupted by the entrance of Lulu and her third client, Jack the Ripper.{{efn|Jack is played by the same person as Dr. Schön, her third husband}} When asked, she says Geschwitz is her crazy sister. Jack makes to leave, saying he has little money and she is asking too much. She pleads with him and they haggle over the price, while she reveals it is her first day on the job, as he suspected. He also guesses the true nature of Geschwitz's feelings for Lulu. Lulu says she is drawn to Jack and eventually offers to give herself to him without payment. They go into the bedroom. Geschwitz, left to herself, resolves to return to Germany to become a lawyer and work for women's rights. On hearing Lulu's screams, she rushes to the bedroom door but Jack emerges with a blood-stained knife that he plunges into her body, and she collapses. Jack calmly washes his hands in the basin, not believing his luck at having killed two women at once, ''Ich bin doch ein verdammter Glückspilz''! (I am just the luckiest of men!), complains about the lack of a towel and leaves. In her dying breath Geschwitz declares her eternal love for Lulu, ''Lulu! Mein Engel! Laß dich noch einmal sehn! Ich bin dir nah! Bleibe dir nah! In Ewigkeit!'' (Lulu! My Angel! Let me see you one more time! I am close! Stay close! For eternity!).{{sfn|Opernführer|2015}}{{sfn|DGG|1979}}{{sfn|Harewood|1987|loc=pp.&nbsp;873–878}}{{sfn|Chandos|2015}}