Manon Lescaut

Manon Lescaut – Giacomo Puccini | Opera

Approximate running time: 2 hours 20 minutes, including one 20-minute intermission
Language: Italian, with surtitles in Czech and English

A life with the wealthy Geronte would offer the pretty Manon luxury, yet it would be devoid of passion. And great passion is what Manon enjoys with the poverty-stricken Chevalier Renato des Grieux. She must make a choice. Failing to do so is fateful for her …
The 1893 opera Manon Lescaut was Giacomo Puccini’s first triumph. Abounding in splendid melodies, the music renders intense emotions, from fervid love in the duet between Des Grieux and Manon in Act 2 to crushing despair of the lonesome Manon in the aria “Sola, perduta, abbandonata”.

The libretto is based on Abbé Prévost’s novel Histoire du Chevalier des Grieux, et de Manon Lescaut, issued in 1731 in Paris. Puccini was mesmerised by the book, yet his publisher, Ricordi, tried to dissuade him from setting it, pointing out that the story had already been adapted as an opera, Jules Massenet’s wildly popular Manon. Puccini, however, stuck to his guns, reasoning that “a woman like Manon can have more than one lover”.

Despite its difficult gestation (the text was patched together by five librettists), he created an opera whose premiere, on 1 February 1893 in Turin, enraptured the audience and critics alike. Puccini’s Manon Lescaut received its first performance in Bohemia on 24 April 1894 at the National Theatre in Prague. The Neues deutsches Theater (today’s State Opera) followed suit on 1 November 1923, with the production conducted by Alexander Zemlinsky, who at the time served as director of its opera company.

WARNING: The show is not suitable for children, recommended for audiences from 15 years

Synopsis

Act One 
Amiens
In front of an inn, townsfolk, students, soldiers and girls await the arrival of a coach, strolling, playing cards and joking. They join the student Edmondo’s song of youth and love (Ave, sera gentile |Hail, gentle evening). Chevalier Renato des Grieux, a friend of Edmondo’s, appears and ironically imitates their singing (L’amor? Questa tragedia, ovver commedia io non conosco! |Love? I know nothing of this tragicomedy!). A carriage pulls up at the inn. Manon, accompanied by her brother Lescaut, a sergeant of the King’s Guard, and Geronte de Ravoir, an elderly Treasurer General, descend. Des Grieux is mesmerised by Manon’s stunning beauty. When Lescaut and Geronte enter the inn, in which the three are to spend the night, des Grieux approaches the girl. She tells him that, upon their father’s order, her brother is taking her to a convent. After Lescaut calls Manon and she enters the inn, des Grieux passionately sings of his enchantment (Donna non vidi mai simile a questa | Never before have I beheld a woman such as this). Geronte, who too is smitten, has decided to abduct Manon, and duly asks the innkeeper to arrange a coach for him. Edmondo overhears the conversation and informs des Grieux of Geronte’s plan. Des Grieux declares his affection to Manon. Having persuaded her to flee with him, they leave for Paris in the carriage Geronte has hired. Lescaut consoles the furious Geronte: it will be easy to lure the luxury-loving Manon from an impoverished student.

Act Two
Paris 
Lescaut’s prediction has come true: Manon left des Grieux once his money ran out. She is now Geronte’s mistress, living in luxury at his magnificent villa, yet is bored. Manon confesses to her brother that she in unhappy, with wealth failing to compensate for the love she has experienced (In quelle trine morbide … | In those soft laces …). Lescaut tells his sister of des Grieux’s gambling, striving to win money so as to be able to sustain Manon. Their conversation is interrupted by the arrival of a group of musicians who proceed to sing a madrigal for Manon. Geronte then enters with friends and a dance master, who teaches Manon a minuet. After Geronte and the guests have left, des Grieux appears. Des Grieux and Manon renew their vows of love (Tu, tù, amore? Tu! Ah! mio immenso amore | You, is it you, my love? You! Ah, my infinite love). Returning unexpectedly, Geronte surprises the couple. Manon mocks Geronte, whereupon he threatens her and leaves. Lescaut comes back to warn of Geronte, whom he saw talking to the police, and urges the couple to flee forthwith, as Manon could face deportation. Reluctant to leave behind her jewels and other precious items, Manon hesitates. The delay proves to be fateful. Geronte enters with the police, who arrest Manon. Lescaut prevents des Grieux from intervening: should the Chevalier too be detained, he would not be able to help Manon.

Act Three
Manon has been convicted and, along with other female prisoners, is now to be transported to Louisiana, a French colony in America. A short orchestral intermezzo, based on the love duet of Manon and Chevalier des Grieux in 2 Act, recapitulates the events that occurred between Act Two and Act Three: Manon’s imprisonment and arrival at Le Havre, and Chevalier des Grieux’s suffering and futile hopes.

Le Havre
Lescaut bribes a guard to allow Chevalier des Grieux to speak with Manon. When Manon appears at a prison window, des Grieux encourages her through the bars. While they are talking, a lamplighter passes by, singing an ironic song (E Kate rispose al Re … | And Kate replied to the King …). The plan to rescue Manon has failed. The commander calls out the names of the convicted women, who are escorted to the ship, while the gathered crowd jeer at them. Des Grieux entreats the ship’s captain to allow him to accompany Manon into exile (Guardate, pazzo son | Behold, I am mad). Moved, the captain agrees.

Acts Four
America
The lovers wander in a wasteland, where they fled after docking at New Orleans. The exhausted Manon is on the brink of collapse and cannot go any further. When des Grieux has gone off to seek help, she is overwhelmed by horror and despair (Sola, perduta, abbandonata | Alone, lost, abandoned). Des Grieux returns with bad news: he has not found anyone to aid them. The couple profess love to each other for the last time, whereupon Manon dies in des Grieux’s arms.

Program and cast

Conductor: Simone Di Felice; Zuzana Kadlčíková

Manon Lescaut - Ghiulnara Raileanu; Petra Alvarez Šimková

Lescaut - Lukáš Bařák; Csaba Kotlár

Renato des Grieux - Peter Berger

Géronte di Ravoir - Jiří Sulženko; František Zahradníček

Edmondo - Martin Šrejma; Daniel Matoušek

Innkeeper / Sergeant of the archers - Ivo Hrachovec; Roman Vocel

Dance Master / Lamplighter - Josef Moravec; Vít Šantora

Musician - Michaela Zajmi; Kateřina Jalovcová

Naval Captain - Oleg Korotkov

Stage director: Sláva Daubnerová

Sets: Alexandre Corazzola

Costumes: Tereza Kopecká

Light design: Daniel Tesař

Video design: Dominik Lukács Žižka

Movement coach: Jan Adam

Chorus master: Adolf Melichar

Dramaturgy: Jitka Slavíková

State Opera Chorus
State Opera Orchestra
National Theatre Opera Ballet