Manon Lescaut (Puccini)

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Manon Lescaut (Puccini)

For other versions of the Manon story, see Manon (disambiguation)
Manon (disambiguation)

Manon is a female given name in Francophone countries, a diminutive of Marie, and may refer to* Manon Lescaut, a novel by Antoine Fran?ois Pr?vost, which inspired...
.

Manon Lescaut is an opera

Opera

Opera is an Performing arts in which singers and musicians perform a dramatic work which combines a text and a musical score. Opera is part of the Western classical music tradition....
in four acts by Giacomo Puccini

Giacomo Puccini

Giacomo Antonio Domenico Michele Secondo Maria Puccini was an Italians composer whose operas, including La boh?me, Tosca, Madama Butterfly and Turandot, are among the most frequently performed in the List of important operas....
. The story is based on the 1731 novel L’histoire du chevalier des Grieux et de Manon Lescaut
Manon Lescaut

Manon Lescaut is a short novel by France author Antoine Fran?ois Pr?vost . Published in 1731, it is the seventh and final volume of M?moires et aventures d'un homme de qualit? ....
by the Abbé Prévost.

The libretto

Libretto

A libretto is the text used in an extended musical work such as an opera, operetta, masque, sacred or secular oratorio and cantata, Musical theater, and ballet....
is in Italian. It was somehow cobbled together by five librettists whom Puccini employed (or went through): Ruggero Leoncavallo

Ruggero Leoncavallo

Ruggero Leoncavallo was an Italian opera composer. His opera Pagliacci remains one of the most popular works in the operatic repertory, appearing as number 14 on Opera America's 2007 list of the 20 most-performed operas in North America....
, Marco Praga, Giuseppe Giacosa

Giuseppe Giacosa

Giuseppe Giacosa was an Italian poet, playwright and Libretto.He was born in Colleretto Parella, now Colleretto Giacosa, near Turin. His father was a magistrate....
, Domenico Oliva and Luigi Illica

Luigi Illica

Luigi Illica was an Italians librettist who wrote for Giacomo Puccini , Alfredo Catalani, Umberto Giordano and other important Italian composers....
. The publisher, Giulio Ricordi

Giulio Ricordi

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Encyclopedia

Manon Lescaut is an opera

Opera

Giacomo Puccini

Libretto

Ruggero Leoncavallo

Giuseppe Giacosa

Luigi Illica

Luigi Illica was an Italians librettist who wrote for Giacomo Puccini , Alfredo Catalani, Umberto Giordano and other important Italian composers....
. The publisher, Giulio Ricordi

Giulio Ricordi

Giulio Ricordi was an Italy editing and musician.Ricordi was born in Milan, where he also died.With the nickname Jules Burgmein, Ricordi contributed a very great deal to the prestige of the Casa Ricordi, publishing company of his family....
, and the composer himself also contributed to the libretto. So confused was the authorship of the libretto that no one was credited on the title page of the original score.

Puccini took some musical elements in Manon Lescaut from earlier works he had written. For example, the madrigal

Madrigal (music)

A madrigal is a type of secular vocal music composition, written during the Renaissance music and early Baroque music eras. Throughout most of its history it was Polyphony and unaccompanied by instruments, with the number of voices varying from two to eight, but most frequently three to six....
Sulla vetta tu del monte from Act II echoes the Agnus Dei from his 1880 Messa a quattro voci
Messa (Puccini)

Giacomo Puccini's Messa or Messa a quattro voci is a Mass_ composed for orchestra and four-part choir with tenor and baritone soloists....
. Other elements of Manon Lescaut come from his compositions for strings: the quartet Crisantemi (January 1890), three Menuets (probably 1884) and a Scherzo (1883?). The love theme comes from the aria Mentia l'avviso (1883).

Performance history

Puccini's publisher, Ricordi, had been against any project based on Prévost's story, because Massenet had already made it into a successful opera, Manon
Manon

Manon is an op?ra comique in five acts by Jules Massenet to a French libretto by Henri Meilhac and Philippe Gille, based on L?histoire du chevalier des Grieux et de Manon Lescaut by Abb? Pr?vost....
, in 1884. While Puccini and Ricordi may not have known it, the French composer, Daniel Auber

Daniel Auber

Daniel Fran?ois Esprit Auber was a French composer....
, had also already written an opera on the same subject with the title, Manon Lescaut
Manon Lescaut (Auber)

Manon Lescaut is an opera or op?ra comique in 3 acts by Daniel-Fran?ois-Esprit Auber to a libretto by Eug?ne Scribe, and, like Giacomo Puccini's Manon Lescaut and Massenet's Manon, is based on the Antoine Fran?ois Pr?vost's story Manon Lescaut....
, in 1856.

Despite all the warnings, Puccini proceeded. "Manon is a heroine I believe in and therefore she cannot fail to win the hearts of the public. Why shouldn’t there be two operas about Manon? A woman like Manon can have more than one lover." He added, "Massenet feels it as a Frenchman, with powder and minuets. I shall feel it as an Italian, with a desperate passion."

The first performance of Manon Lescaut took place in the Teatro Regio

Teatro Regio Torino

The 'Teatro Regio di Torino' is a prominent opera house and opera company in Turin, Italy. Its season runs from October to June with the presentation of eight or nine operas given from five to twelve performances of each....
in Turin

Turín

Tur?n is a municipality in the Ahuachap?n Department Departments of El Salvador of El Salvador....
in 1893. Manon Lescaut was Puccini's third opera and his first great success.

Roles

Role	Voice type	Premiere Cast, 1 February 1893 (Conductor: Alessandro Pomè)
Manon Lescaut	soprano Soprano A soprano is a voice type with a vocal range from approximately to "high A" in choral music, or to "soprano C" or higher in operatic music. In four part chorale style harmony the soprano takes the highest part which usually encompasses the melody....	Cesira Ferrani Cesira Ferrani Cesira Ferrani was an Italian people operatic soprano who is best known for debuting two of the most iconic roles in opera history, Mim? in the original 1896 production of Giacomo Puccini's La boh?me and the title role in Puccini's Manon Lescaut in its 1893 world premiere....
Lescaut, her brother, a sergeant	baritone Baritone Baritone is a type of European classical music male voice type that lies between the bass and tenor voices. It is the most common male voice....	Achille Moro
Chevalier des Grieux	tenor Tenor The tenor is a type of male voice type and is the highest male voice within the modal register. The typical tenor voice lies between the C one octave below middle C to the A above in choral music, and up to high C in solo work....	Giuseppe Cremonini Giuseppe Cremonini Giuseppe Cremonini was an Italian people operatic tenor who had a prominent opera career in Europe and the United States during the last decade of the nineteenth century....
Geronte de Ravoir, Treasurer General	bass	Alessandro Polonini Alessandro Polonini Alessandro Polonini was an Italian bass-baritone. He created the roles of Beno?t and Alcindoro in Puccini's opera, La boh?me, as well as Geronte de Ravoir in his Manon Lescaut ....
Edmondo, a student	tenor	Roberto Ramini
Innkeeper	bass	Augusto Castagnola
Singer	mezzo-soprano Mezzo-soprano A mezzo-soprano is a type of European classical music female voice type whose range lies between the soprano and the contralto singing voices, usually extending from the A below middle C to the A two octaves above ....	Elvira Ceresoli
Dancing Master	tenor	Roberto Ramini
Lamplighter	tenor	Roberto Ramini
Sergeant of the Royal Archers	bass	Ferdin Cattadori
Naval Captain	bass
Hairdresser	silent	Augusto Ghinghini
Singers, old beaux and abbés, girls, townsfolk, students, courtesans, archers, sailors

Synopsis

Time: The second half of the eighteenth century.

Places: Amiens

Amiens

Amiens is a city and Communes of France in northern France, north of Paris. It is the capital of the Somme Departments of France in Picardie....
, Paris

Paris

Paris is the Capital of France and the country's largest city. It is situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the ?le-de-France Regions of France ....
, Le Havre

Le Havre

Le Havre is a city in the northwest region of France situated on the right bank of the mouth of the Seine River as it outlets into the Bay of the Seine section of the English Channel....
, New Orleans.

Act 1

A public square near the Paris Gate

It is evening, and a crowd of male students and girls are strolling about a square known for drinking and gaming. Edmondo sings a song of youthful pleasure (Edmondo, chorus: Ave, sera gentile).

Des Grieux enters, but is melancholy and does not join the other students (Des Grieux, Edmondo, chorus: L’amor! L’amor!). They joke with him (Des Grieux, Edmondo, chorus: Tra voi, belle, brune e bionde) ; (Edmondo, chorus: Ma, bravo!).

The carriage

Coach (carriage)

A coach was originally a large, usually closed, four-wheeled carriage with two or more horses harnessed as a team, controlled by a coachman and/or one or more postilions....
from Arras

Arras

Arras is the capital of the Pas-de-Calais Departments of France in northern France. The historic centre of the Artois region, its local speech is characterized as a Picard language dialect....
arrives. Manon, Lescaut, and an elderly treasurer-general, Geronte de Ravoir, descend from the coach. At the first sight of Manon, Des Grieux falls in love with her (Chorus, Edmondo, Lescaut, Des Grieux, Geronte: Discendono, vediam); (Des Grieux, Manon, Lescaut: Cortese damigella).

Des Grieux overhears their conversation: Manon is on her way to a convent, following the instructions of her father. Des Grieux approaches her and begs her to meet him later; she reluctantly agrees. The students laugh, pointing at the pair. After Manon leaves, Des Grieux sings of his feelings for her (Des Grieux: Donna non vidi mai).

Lescaut returns with Geronte, who also is captivated by Manon, saying she will only be wasted upon a convent

Convent

A convent may refer to a community of priests, religious brothers, religious sisters, or nuns, or it may refer to the building used by the community, particularly in the Roman Catholic Church and in the Anglican Communion....
. While Lescaut is playing cards with group of students, Geronte arranges to abduct Manon and take her to Paris (Edmondo, chorus, Geronte, Lescaut: La tua ventura ci rassicura); (Edmondo, Des Grieux: Cavaliere, te la fanno!). Edmund overhears the plan and informs Des Grieux. He advises him to accompany Manon in the carriage

Carriage

A carriage is a wheeled vehicle for people, usually horse-drawn. It is especially designed for private passenger use and for comfort or elegance, though some are also used to transport goods....
arranged by Geronte (Des Grieux, Manon: Vedete? Io son fedele alla parola mia). Des Grieux declares his love to Manon and persuades her to go to Paris with him. They leave together. Geronte and Lescaut arrive on the scene as they disappear, and Lescaut proposes that they follow the carriage to Paris. (Geronte, Edmondo, Lescaut, chorus: Di sedur la sorellina e il momento!)

Act 2

A room in Geronte's house in Paris

(Puccini omits the part of the novel in which Manon and Des Grieux live together for a while, then Manon leaves Des Grieux because his money runs out.)

The act begins with Manon as Geronte's mistress. Manon and her hairdresser are in the room when her brother, Lescaut, enters (Manon, Lescaut: Dispettosetto questo riccio!); (Lescaut: Sei splendida e lucente!). She tells him that Geronte is too old and wicked; he bores her. Manon is sad, and her thoughts turn to Des Grieux (Manon: In quelle trine morbide); (Lescaut, Manon: Poiché tu vuoi saper).

Musicians arranged by Geronte enter to amuse her (Madrigal

Madrigal (music)

Minuet

A minuet, sometimes spelled menuet, is a social dance of France origin for two persons, usually in time signature. The word was adapted from Italian language minuetto and French language menuet, meaning small, pretty, delicate, a diminutive of menu, from the Latin minutus; menuetto is a word that occurs only on musi...
, then she sings a gavotte

Gavotte

The gavotte originated as a France folk dance, taking its name from the Gavot people of the Pays de Gap region of Dauphin?, where the dance originated....
(Dancing master, Geronte, Manon, chorus: Vi prego, signorina [minuet]); (Manon, Geronte, chorus: L’ora, o Tirsi, è vaga e bella). After dancing, Geronte and the musicians leave the house.

Lescaut is upset knowing that his sister is not happy living with Geronte, and he goes to find Des Grieux. Des Grieux appears in Geronte’s house (Manon, Des Grieux: Oh, sarò la più bella! - This love's own magic spell). As they renew their vows of love, Geronte returns unexpectedly. He salutes them ironically, reminding Manon of his many favors to her. She replies that she cannot love him (Geronte, Des Grieux, Manon: Affè, madamigella).

Bowing low, he leaves them. The lovers rejoice in their freedom (Manon, Des Grieux: Ah! Ah! Liberi!). Lescaut urges them to leave the house at once, but Manon hesitates at the thought of leaving her jewels and pretty frocks. Again, Lescaut enters in breathless haste, making signs that they must depart immediately. Manon snatches up her jewels, and they go to the door. It is locked by Geronte's order. Soldiers appear to arrest Manon, who, in trying to escape, drops the jewels at Geronte's feet. She is dragged off, and Des Grieux is not permitted to follow her (Des Grieux, Manon, Lescaut, sergeant, Geronte: Lescaut! – Tu qui?).

(Intermezzo: The journey to Le Havre.)

After trying everything to release Manon from the prison but to no avail, Des Grieux goes to Le Havre

Le Havre

Le Havre is a city in the northwest region of France situated on the right bank of the mouth of the Seine River as it outlets into the Bay of the Seine section of the English Channel....
.

Act 3

A square near the harbor in Le Havre It is dawn. Manon is in prison with other courtesans

Courtesan

A courtesan is mainly what one may call a high-class prostitute. A courtesan would offer her charms and sexual pleasures, generally and more usually to people of substantial wealth, in return for a good and respectable living, especially during hard times of poverty....
(Des Grieux, Lescaut, Manon: Ansia eterna, crudel). Lescaut has bribed a prison guard to let Des Grieux speak with Manon. By talking to her through the bars, they learn that she is to be deported to Louisiana

Louisiana

The State of Louisiana is a U.S. state located in the U.S. Southern States of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans....
. A lamp lighter passes, singing a song while extinguishes the lights (Lamplighter, Des Grieux, Manon: E Kate ripose al re); (Des Grieux, Manon: Manon, disperato è il mio prego).

They attempt a rescue, but in vain. The guard appears, escorting a group of women, who are going on the same ship as Manon. She walks among them, pale and sad. The crowd makes brutal comments during the roll call of the courtesans (Chorus, Lescaut, Des Grieux, Manon: All'armi! All'armi!) but Lescaut inspires pity for Manon (Sergeant, chorus, Lescaut, manon, Des Grieux: Rosetta! – Eh, che aria!)

Des Grieux, in despair at the idea of being separated from Manon forever, goes to Manon's side. He tries to seize her but is roughly pushed away by the sergeant. However the captain of the ship sees his intense grief (Des Grieux: Pazzo son!) and allows him to board the ship.

Act 4

(The following is a part of the original 1731 novel by Abbé Prévost but it is not a part of the opera: Des Grieux and Manon finally settle down in New Orleans. Later, he fights a duel with the nephew of the French colony's Governor

Governor

A governor is a governing official, usually the Executive of a non-sovereign level of government, ranking under the head of state. In federations, a governor may be the title of each appointed or elected politician who governs a constitutive state....
who is interested in Manon. Thinking that he has killed the man during their duel (he is actually only unconscious), he and Manon flee.)

A vast plain near the outskirts of the New Orleans territory

The act begins with the lovers are making their way across the desert hoping to find protection in a British

United Kingdom

The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom , the UK or Britain,is a sovereign state located off the northwestern coast of continental Europe....
settlement. Wandering in the desert without any water, the ailing Manon is exhausted. She falls and can’t go any further (Des Grieux, Manon: Tutta su me ti posa) ; (Des Grieux: Vedi, son io che piango) ; (Manon, Des Grieux: Sei tu che piangi).

Des Grieux is alarmed by Manon's appearance and goes to look for water. While he is gone, Manon recalls her past, muses about her fatal beauty and her fate (Manon: Sola, perduta, abbandonata).

Des Grieux returns, having been unable to find water. Manon bids him a heart-rending farewell and dies in his arms. Overcome by grief, Des Grieux falls unconscious across her body (Manon, Des Grieux: Fra le tue braccia, amore).

Selected recordings

Year	Cast (Manon Lescaut, Des Grieux, Lescaut)	Conductor, Opera House and Orchestra	Label
1954	Licia Albanese Licia Albanese Licia Albanese is a distinguished Italy soprano and chairman of The Licia Albanese-Puccini Foundation, founded in 1974 and dedicated to assisting young artists and singers.... , Jussi Bjoerling, Robert Merrill Robert Merrill Robert Merrill was an American operatic baritone. While there has been dispute regarding his birth year , the Social Security Death Index, his family, and his gravestone state that he was born in 1917....	Jonel Perlea Jonel Perlea Jonel Perlea was a Romanian Conductor particularly associated with the Italian and German opera repertories.Born Ionel Perlea in Ograda, Romania, he studied in Munich with Beer-Waldbrunn and Kotana, then in Leipzig with Martinsen and Graener.... , Rome Opera orchestra and chorus	Audio CD:RCA Victor Cat: 60573-2-RG
1959	Maria Callas Maria Callas Maria Callas was an American-born Greeks soprano and one of the most renowned opera singers of the twentieth century. She combined an impressive bel canto technique with great dramatic gifts.... , Giuseppe di Stefano Giuseppe Di Stefano Giuseppe Di Stefano was an Italian operatic tenor whose career lasted from the late 1940s to the early 1970s. He was also known for his long association with the soprano Maria Callas, with whom he performed and recorded many times, and with whom he was romantically involved for a brief period.... , Giulio Fioravanti Giulio Fioravanti Giulio Fioravanti was an Italian opera baritone, particularly associated with the Italian repertory.He studied first jurisprudence and work one year as a jurist in his native city before turning to music studies at the Accademia di Santa Cecilia in Rome, with famed baritone Riccardo Stracciari....	Tullio Serafin Tullio Serafin Tullio Serafin was an Italy Conducting.... , Teatro alla Scala Orchestra and Chorus	Audio CD:EMI EMI The EMI Group is a United Kingdom music company comprising the major record label EMI Music ? which operates several labels and is based in Kensington in London, England, United Kingdom ? and EMI Music Publishing, based in New York City.... Cat: CDS5 56301 2 (Mono)
1980	Renata Scotto Renata Scotto Renata Scotto is an Italy soprano. Since retiring from the stage as a singer in 2002, she has turned to directing opera as well as teaching at her own opera academy in Italy and New York.... , Plácido Domingo Plácido Domingo Jos? Pl?cido Domingo Embil Order of the British Empire , better known as Pl?cido Domingo, is a Spanish tenor, known for his versatile and strong voice, possessing a ringing and dramatic tone throughout its range.... , Pablo Elvira Pablo Elvira Pablo Elv?ra was an United States baritone. Elv?ra was born in San Juan, Puerto Rico, and began his musical career playing jazz trumpet there, both with his father's band and later his own....	James Levine James Levine James Lawrence Levine is an United States orchestral conducting and piano. He is currently the music director of the Metropolitan Opera and of the Boston Symphony Orchestra.... , The Metropolitan Opera Orchestra and Chorus	DVD: Deutsche Grammophon Deutsche Grammophon Deutsche Grammophon is a Germany classical record label, now part of the Universal Music Group. The company has long been known for its high standards of high fidelity.... Cat: 00440 073 4241
1984	Kiri Te Kanawa Kiri Te Kanawa Dame Kiri Janette Te Kanawa, Order of New Zealand, Order of the British Empire, Order of Australia, is a New Zealand soprano who had a highly successful international opera career between 1968-2004.... , Plácido Domingo, Thomas Allen Thomas Allen (singer) Sir Thomas Boaz Allen, Order of the British Empire, is an internationally renowned England baritone opera singer from Seaham Harbour, County Durham....	Giuseppe Sinopoli Giuseppe Sinopoli Giuseppe Sinopoli was an Italy conducting and composer.... , Royal Opera House Royal Opera House The Royal Opera House is an opera house and major performing arts venue in the London district of Covent Garden. The large building, often referred to as simply "Covent Garden", is the home of Royal Opera, London , Royal Ballet, London and the Orchestra of the Royal Opera House.... Orchestra and Chorus (Movie)	DVD: Kultur Video Cat: 5046671742
1984	Mirella Freni Mirella Freni Mirella Freni is an Italian opera soprano much admired for the youthful quality of her voice, her phrasing and thoughtful character interpretations and acting skills.... , Plácido Domingo, Renato Bruson Renato Bruson Renato Bruson is an Italian operatic baritone. Bruson is widely considered one of the most important Baritone#Verdi_baritone of the late 20th and early 21st century....	Giuseppe Sinopoli, Philharmonia Orchestra Royal Opera House Chorus	CD: Deutsche Grammophon Cat: 413 893-2 2
1993	Mirella Freni, Luciano Pavarotti Luciano Pavarotti Luciano Pavarotti Italian orders of merit was an Italian opera tenor, who also crossed over into popular music. He was the most commercially successful tenor of all.... , Dwayne Croft Dwayne Croft Dwayne Croft is an American baritone who has sung in more than 300 performances in 25 roles at the Metropolitan Opera.He won the List of Richard Tucker Award winners in 1996....	James Levine, Metropolitan Opera Orchestra and Chorus	CD: Decca Decca Records Decca Records is a British record label established in 1929 in music by Edward Lewis . Its U.S. label was established in late 1934; later the link with the British company was broken for several decades.... Cat: 440 200-2
1998	Maria Guleghina Maria Guleghina Maria Guleghina is a Ukraine-Russia soprano opera singer, particularly associated with the Italy repertory.... , José Cura José Cura Jos? Cura is a prominent operatic tenor known for his intense and original interpretations of his characters, notably Giuseppe Verdi?s Otello and Camille Saint-Sa?ns? Samson et Dalila, as well as for his unconventional and innovative concert performances.... , Lucio Gallo	Riccardo Muti Riccardo Muti Riccardo Muti, Italian orders of merit is an Italian conducting. He is the Music Director Designate of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and will officially start his contract in 2010.... , Teatro alla Scala Orchestra and Chorus	CD: Deutsche Grammophon Cat: 463 186-2

Note: "Cat:" is short for catalogue number by the label company.

Manon Lescaut (Puccini)

Performance history

Roles

Synopsis

Act 1

Act 2

Act 3

Act 4

Selected recordings

External links