G. Puccini. Manon Lescaut

The brilliant Anna Netrebko in Giacomo Puccini's opera "Manon Lescaut".

The opera is based on the novel by Abbot Antoine François Prévost "The Story of the Chevalier des Grieux and Manon Lescaut". Despite the fact that the opera based on this work "Manon" by the composer Jules Massenet had been successfully performed on the stage for several years, Puccini enthusiastically took up the creation of the opera, confident of its success: "Massenet hears it in French, with powder and minuets, but I hear it in Italian, with desperate passion."

Several people worked on the libretto at once. The first version was written by the composer Ruggiero Leoncavallo. Then Mario Praga and Domenico Oliva worked on it, but Puccini was not satisfied with the version they presented. The libretto was completed by Giulio Ricordi, Luigi Illica and Giuseppe Giacosa. The opera was presented to the public on February 1, 1893, at the Teatro Regio in Turin. It was a huge success.

At the post office in Amiens, Manon, who arrived there with her brother, a sergeant in the royal guard, meets des Grieux. Manon tells him that her family is sending her to a monastery, and her brother is accompanying her. Des Grieux falls in love with Manon. The rich tax farmer, old Geronte, who arrived on the same stagecoach as Manon, wants to kidnap her. He orders a carriage, confident that Manon will not be able to resist his wealth. But Manon falls in love with des Grieux, and they leave in a carriage hired by Geronte.

Manon shines in Geronte's palace. She could not stand poverty and, succumbing to her brother's persuasion, became Geronte's kept woman. Manon dreams of love and remembers des Grieux. Old Geronte enters Manon's bedroom and admires her. After he leaves, des Grieux appears. The lovers throw themselves into each other's arms and forget about everything else in the world. Old Geronte finds them together. Manon laughs at him; unable to bear the ridicule, he leaves, deciding to take revenge on his mistress. Des Grieux begs Manon to run away with him. Manon agrees. She takes the jewels with her. Suddenly, soldiers sent by Geronte burst into the room. Manon is taken away to the laughter of the old man: "The Queen, if the treasurer so desires, can be presented in the blink of an eye as a harlot and a thief." In Le Havre, a ship is preparing to sail to the American colonies, carrying women convicted of vagrancy and debauchery. Among them is Manon Lescaut. Des Grieux and Lescaut want to bribe the guards and arrange an escape. But the plan fails. The women are taken to the ship, de Grieux begs the ship's captain to allow him to sail with Manon into exile. He agrees and lets de Grieux on board.

The life of the exiles is terrible, in addition, the son of the colony's chief wants to take Manon by force, de Grieux kills him. Manon and de Grieux are forced to flee again. They walk across the steppe, mortally tired and hungry. Manon dies in de Grieux's arms: "Time will swallow my guilt, my crimes will be forgotten. But my love will never die."

PERFORMERS:

Manon Lescaut, fifteen-year-old girl - Anna Netrebko

Lescaut, her brother - Claudio Sgura

Chevalier des Grieux, student - Yusif Eyvazov

Geronte de Ravoir, tax farmer - Alessandro Safina

Edmond, student - Luis Gomes

Music teacher - Remi Mathieu

Innkeeper - Luca Vianello

Musician - Loriana Castellano

Monte-Carlo Philharmonic Orchestra

Conductor - Pinchas Steinberg

Monte-Carlo Opera Choir

Chorus Master - Stefano Visconti

Monte-Carlo Opera, Monte-Carlo, 2022