Jules Massenet (May 12, 1842 – August 13, 1912) composed this five-act tragic romance opéra comique, Manon. Libretto was written by Henri Meilhac and Philippe Gille based on the novel by the Abbé Antoine-Francois Prévost. The opera was premiered in Paris, Opéra Comique, in January 19, 1884. The setting is in Paris and Amiens in the early 18th century.
Some arias: "Adieu, notre petite table" (Manon) and "Ah, fuyez douce image" (Des Grieux.)
Manon is the most famous opera by Massenet. It explores a young woman's sexuality similar to Bizet's Carmen written nine years earlier. Although it is called opéra comique for its spoken dialogue, it is actually tragic. The score has famous arias and duets. Puccini challenged this opera with his own Manon Lescaut performed in 1893.
Character Roles
- Le Chevalier des Grieux, a young noble (tenor)
- Lescaut, a soldier and Manon's cousin (baritone)
- Guillot de Morfontaine, a financier (tenor)
- De Brétigny, rich noble and farmer-general (baritone)
- Manon Lescaut, a fickle young woman (soprano)
- Le Comte des Grieux, Le Chevalier's father (bass)
- Innkeeper (baritone)
Plot Summary / Synopses of Manon
Act 1. The Courtyard of an Inn at Amiens
Guillot and Brétigny and a trio of actresses demand dinner from the innkeeper who has promised to reserve a seat on the first coach for the chevalier des Grieux. Lescaut leaves his companions at the inn while he awaits his cousin, Manon, who is on her way to a convent. When the coach arrives, all the passengers try to get their luggage at once.
Guillot makes a pass at her, but Lescaut tells him to go away. He leaves Manon in the courtyard while he goes off to gamble. Enters Des Grieux. Seeing her, he decides not to leave Amiens. He introduces himself and the pair fall in love. Des Grieux invites her to come with him to Paris.
Act 2. Apartment of Des Grieux and Manon in the Rue Vivienne, Paris
Des Grieux wants to marry Manon. They now live together in Paris and he needs his father's consent to marry her. Lescaut and Brétigny discovers the lovers hideaway and Brétigny, who is also in love with Manon, tells her that Des Grieux will be abducted but if she says nothing about it, he'll make life easy for her and she can live in luxury with him. Manon struggles with herself, but, feeling herself unworthy of him, does not warn Des Drieux. True enough, on Des Grieux's return, he is kidnapped.
Act 3. Cours la Reine, Paris and seminary of St. Sulpice
Scene 1. Cours la Reine, Paris
Manon is now Brétigny's mistress. On the Cours la Reine, Parisians shop and toast the king. Brétigny and Guillot discuss women's fickleness. Manon is the toast of the town. Brétigny and Manon meet Des Grieux's father, the count, who tells them his son has taken holy orders. Guillot hires the opera ballet to entertain Manon but she flees to St. Sulpice to look for Des Grieux.
Scene 2. Reception Room of the Seminary of St. Sulpice
At St Sulpice, Des Grieux has impressed the women of the congregation with his prayers and religious discourse. He is furious with Manon for her betrayal, but he succumbs when she pleads for his love.
Act 4. The Hotel Transylvania, Paris
Lescaut gambles in the hotel Transylvania, and Manon encourages Des Grieux into playing. When he wins, Guillot accuses him of cheating and summons the police. Des Grieux and Manon are locked up in prison.
Act 5. On the Road to Le Havre
Des Grieux's father gets him out of jail, but Manon is ordered to be deported to Louisiana. Des Grieux and Lescaut finds a way to free Manon by bribing a sergeant to speak with her. Her strength exhausted by prison life, she sings a beautiful duet with Des GRieux, and dies in his arms.
Sources:
Opera by Alan Riding and L.D. Downer, DK, 2006
The Da Capo Opera Manual by Nicholas Ivor Martin, 1997
The Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians, 2nd Edition, edited by Stanley Sadie, 2000
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