Manon (ballet)
Manon (original title: L'histoire de Manon ) is a ballet in three acts by the British dance dramatist Kenneth MacMillan (1929-1992). He created the choreography for this narrative ballet, which is based on the novel Manon Lescaut ("Histoire du Chevalier Des Grieux et de Manon Lescaut") by Abbé Prévost from 1731. To the music of Jules Massenet , MacMillan tells the tragic story of the lovers Manon and Des Grieux, which begins in wild passion and ends in desolate hopelessness. The work was premiered on March 7, 1974 by the British The Royal Ballet at the Royal Opera House Covent Garden in London with Antoinette Sibley as Manon and Anthony Dowell as Des Grieux. A performance lasts around 2 hours 45 minutes (with two breaks between acts).
Emergence
The work was written in London in 1973/74 when MacMillan was ballet director at the Royal Ballet (1970–1986). The narrative structure of the ballet is similar to MacMillan's earlier choreography for Romeo and Juliet by Sergei Prokofiev . Just as the novel by Abbé Prévost, the subject of which was later processed in operas by Auber ( Manon Lescaut ), Massenet ( Manon ), Puccini ( Manon Lescaut ) and Henze ( Boulevard Solitude ) , the London premiere was also celebrated enthusiastically received by the audience. Further performances were given by the ballet companies of the opera houses in Paris (1991 and 2015), Milan (2014/15), Oslo (2015) and Budapest (2015). The piece premiered in Dresden on November 7, 2015 at the Semperoper , with soloists Melissa Hamilton from the Royal Ballet London and Jiří Bubeníček . The conductor was Paul Connelly.
people
People and their cast at the premiere:
- Manon, sister of Lescaut - Antoinette Sibley
- Des Grieux, a student - Anthony Dowell
- Lescaut - David Wall
- Lescaut's mistress - Monica Mason
- Monsieur GM, an old bon vivant - Derek Rencher
- Madame, owner of an establishment
- A warden in Louisiana - David Drew
action
first act
- First scene: the courtyard of an inn near Paris
There is hustle and bustle in the courtyard of the inn. Also present is the student Des Grieux, old Monsieur GM and Lescaut, who is waiting for his sister Manon to be brought to a convent. When Manon arrives, Lescaut notices that a fellow traveler is very interested in her and begins to negotiate with him about Manon in the inn. In the meantime, Manon meets Des Grieux and they both fall in love at first sight. The two want to go to Paris with the old man's money. When Lescaut comes out of the inn, his sister has already fled. Then the rich bon vivant Monsieur GM also expressed his interest in Manon. Lescaut promises to find Manon.
- Second scene: Des Grieux's lodging in Paris
Des Grieux wants to write a letter to his father and is interrupted by Manon, who declares her love for him. The two lovers let their emotions run free. When Des Grieux brings the letter to the post office, Lescaut appears to hand over his sister to Monsieur GM. Blinded by the luxury of the old man, Manon gives in to his advances. Lescaut explains to Des Grieux, who returns, that he should accept the relationship between Manon and Monsieur GM.
Second act
- First scene: A party at Madame's “Hôtel particulier”
At the side of Monsieur GM, Manon appears in the "Hôtel particulier". Lescaut also appears together with Des Grieux. He tries to convince Manon to forego the wealth of Monsieur GM and to flee with him. Lescaut wants Des Grieux to get some money playing cards. Des Grieux is convicted of cheating, wounds Monsieur GM and flees with Manon.
- Second scene: Des Grieux's lodging
Manon and des Grieux reassure each other of their love for one another, but Manon's longing for wealth stands in the way. But Monsieur GM and Lescaut appear with guards and want to arrest Manon as a prostitute and ship it to America. Lescaut is killed in the scuffle that follows.
Third act
- First scene: New Orleans harbor
Colony guards await the arrival of the convicts and prostitutes from France. Manon was deported to America as a prostitute and Des Grieux followed her as her alleged husband. The supervisor is interested in Manon.
- Second scene: The overseer's room in New Orleans
The warden imprisoned Manon, but offers her perks if she leaves Des Grieux and lives with him. As he becomes more and more intrusive, Des Grieux comes in and kills the overseer.
- Third scene: In the Louisiana swamps
Manon and Des Grieux have fled to the Louisiana swamps. Manon renounced her ambitions of wealth and splendor for her love for Des Grieux. On the run from the persecutors, she becomes weaker and weaker and remembers the past few days. Then she collapses from exhaustion and dies in Des Grieux's arms.
music
The music for the ballet is not identical to the music for the opera Manon by Massenet. Various pieces of music were selected from thirteen operas and oratorios, from the orchestral suites, piano pieces and songs by Jules Massenet and orchestrated by the British composer Leighton Lucas (1903–1982). Another orchestration took place in 2011 by the conductor Martin Yates (* 1958).
- 1st act
- “Le dernier sommeil de la Vierge” from the oratorio La Vierge
- “Entr'acte: Manola” from the opera Chérubin
- Aubade: “Vive amour” from the opera Chérubin
- "Scènes dramatiques: Scène finale" (second theme) from the orchestral suite No. 3
- “Scènes pittoresques: Marche” from the orchestral suite No. 4
- "Scènes dramatiques: Prélude et Divertissement" (second theme) from the orchestral suite No. 3
- Overture from the opera Le Cid
- "Crépuscule" (song)
- “Entr'acte: Idylle” from the opera Grisélidis
- "Scènes dramatiques: Prélude et Divertissement" (third theme) from the orchestral suite No. 3
- Ballet: No. 4 (Allegretto) from the opera Thaïs
- “Lament d'Ariane” from the opera Ariane
- "Élégie" from Les Érinnyes
- “Les moulins” from the opera Don Quixote
- “Marche des Princesses” from the opera Cendrillon
- “Le sommeil de Cendrillon” from the opera Cendrillon
- "Ouvre tes yeux bleus" (song)
- “Les filles de noblesse” from the opera Cendrillon
- Valse très lente (piano piece, later orchestrated by Massenet)
- "Scènes dramatiques: Prélude et Divertissement" (first theme) from the orchestral suite No. 3
- 2nd act
- “Scènes alsaciennes: Au cabaret” from the orchestral suite No. 7
- “Danses: Chaldéennes” from Cléopâtre
- "Crépuscule" (song)
- “Danses: Scythes” from the opera Cléopâtre
- "Chanson de Capri" (song)
- “Scènes pittoresques: Air de ballet” from the orchestral suite No. 4
- Nocturne from La Navarraise
- “Divertissement: Valse” from the opera Le roi de Lahore
- "Élégie" from Les Érinnyes
- “Valse des esprits” from the opera Grisélidis
- Prelude from part 2 from the oratorio Ève
- Aria: “Il partit au printemps” from the opera Grisélidis
- 3rd act
- Introduction to the first act from the opera Don Quixote
- Chanson: "En Avignon, pays d'amour" from the opera Grisélidis
- "Crépuscule" (song)
- “Malédiction” from the oratorio Ève
- Improvisation No. 3 out of 7 piano improvisations
- Introduction to the first act of the opera Don Quixote
- “Aria de Pandolfe” from Cendrillon
- Aria: “Il partit au printemps” from the opera Grisélidis
- “Valse des esprits” from the opera Grisélidis
- "Élégie" from Les Érinnyes
- “L'extase de la Vierge” from the oratorio La Vierge
Recordings
- Manon Ballet: Excerpts, arranged and orchestrated by Leighton Lucas (1903–1982), Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden under Richard Bonynge (CD)
- L'histoire de Manon: Ballet de L´Opéra National de Paris, Orchester de L´Opéra National de Paris under Martin Yates (DVD)
Individual evidence
- ↑ K. Macmillan: Manon ( Memento from October 20, 2014 in the Internet Archive ) (accessed October 8, 2016)
- ↑ Manon 1974 (accessed April 29, 2019)
- ↑ Manon - Opéra National de Paris (English) (accessed October 8, 2016)
- ↑ Manon - Teatro alla Scala Milan (English) (accessed October 8, 2016)
- ^ Manon - Den Norske Opera Oslo (accessed October 8, 2016)
- ^ Manon - Budapest State Opera (accessed October 8, 2016)
- ^ "Manon" program of the Dresden State Opera, November 2015