Soundtracks from Eden

A soaring Wagner fanfare blares as the self-styled Baroness unveils her scale model of “Hacienda Paradiso,” announcing plans for a luxury resort. The grandiose music mocks her god-complex and frames the moment as a hubristic “march into Valhalla.”

During a decadent beach-side luncheon, the Baroness spins this sultry Carmen theme while flirting with every guest. The flirtatious melody mirrors her free-spirited provocations that leave the settlers both dazzled and uneasy.

French cabaret drifts from the Baroness’s gramophone just as millionaire explorer Allan Hancock steps ashore. The nostalgic tune smooths her pitch to secure funding for the hotel, seducing him (and the audience) with Parisian glamour in the middle of nowhere.

A light waltz accompanies the Wittmers gathering thatch with baby Rolf. The calm, old-world melody underlines their brief domestic harmony, a “souvenir” of normal life before violence returns to the island.

Baker’s ode to divided affection plays as the Baroness tries to lure Lorenz into fleeing with her. The lyric about loving “two loves” cheekily highlights her tangled ménage-à-trois and Lorenz’s torn loyalties.