 Music by Jules Massenet (see section on music) Staged by Monica Parker, Patricia Ruanne, and Wendy Walker Orchestrated and arranged by Leighton Lucas, with the collaboration of Hilda Gaunt Choreography and direction by Sir Kenneth MacMillan Scenery and costumes by Nicholas Georgiadis Lighting by Thomas Skelton World Premiere: The Royal Ballet, Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, London, 3/7/74 Original Cast: Antoinette Sibley (Manon), Anthony Dowell (Des Grieux), David Wall (Lescaut), Derek Rencher (Monsieur G.M.), Monica Mason (Lescaut's Mistress), David Drew (The Jailer), Gerd Laresen (Madame) ABT Premiere: Metropolitan Opera House, New York, 5/28/93 Cast: Alessandra Ferri (Manon), Julio Bocca (Des Grieux), Gil Boggs (Lescaut), Kathleen Moore (Lescaut's Mistress), Michael Owen (Monsieur G.M.), Victor Barbee (Jailer), Georgina Parkinson (Madame) 
Act I. Scene I: The courtyard of an inn near Paris -
The courtyard at the inn is frequented by actresses,
gentlemen and the demi-monde from Paris. Among
them are Des Grieux, a young student, the wealthy
Monsieur G.M. and Lescaut, who is there to meet his
sister Manon on her way to enter a convent. A coach
arrives bringing Manon and an Old Gentleman who has
been very much attracted by her. Lescaut notices this
and takes the Old Gentleman into the inn to come to an
arrangement with him over Manon. Manon remains
outside and meets Des Grieux. They fall in love and
decide to escape to Paris with the help of the money
that she has stolen from the Old Gentleman. Lescaut
and the Old Gentleman come out of the inn, having
made a bargain, and to their dismay see that Manon has
disappeared. Monsieur G.M. tells Lescaut the he too is
interested in Manon and because of G.M.'s wealth
Lescaut promises to find Manon and persuade her to
accept
G.M.
Act I. Scene Il: Des Grieux's lodgings in Paris - Des
Grieux is writing a letter to his father but Manon
interrupts him by declaring her love for him. Des Grieux
goes to post the letter and in his absence Lescaut arrives
with Monsieur G.M. Manon yields to G.M.'s advances.
When Des Grieux returns, Lescaut persuades him that
there will be great wealth for all of them if he, Des
Grieux, will sanction the liaison between Manon and
G.M.Act II. Scene I: A Party at the hotel Particulier of
Madame - Manon arrives at the party given by Monsieur
G.M. and is clearly torn between the wealth of her
companion and her love for Des Grieux, who is also
there with Lescaut. Des Grieux tries to persuade Manon
to leave with him but she tells him that the time is not
right and only will be when he takes more of Monsieur
G.M.'s money at cards. Des Grieux is caught cheating
and he and Manon rush
away.Act II. Scene II: Des Grieux's lodgings - Manon and
Des Grieux once again declare their love for one another
but Monsieur G.M. arrives with the police and Manon is
arrested as a prostitute. In the ensuing struggle Lescaut
is
killed.Act III. Scene I: The Port - The Jailer of the Penal
Colony awaits the arrival of the convicts from France.
Manon has been deported to America as a prostitute
and Des Grieux has followed her there by pretending to
be her husband. The Jailer turns his interest towards
Manon.Act III. Scene II: The Jailer's room - The Jailer has
arrested Manon but offers her rewards in the hope that
she will desert Des Grieux and live with him. Des
Grieux, however, breaks in and kills the
Jailer.Act III. Scene III: The Swamp - Manon and Des
Grieux have escaped into the swamp of Louisiana. All
her former ambitions of wealth and splendor have been
renounced for her love of Des Grieux. While eluding
their pursuers Manon collapses and dies in his
arms. The music for Manon by Jules Massenet, arranged by
Leighton Lucas and Hilda Gaunt is taken from the
operas Le Cid, Griselda, Therese, Cinderella,
Cleopatre, Don Quixote, Eve, Thais, Bacchus,
Ariane, and Le Roi de Lahore, the
orchestral works Scenes Alsaciennes, Scenes
Pittoresques, Scenes Dramatique, La Navarraise, Valse
tres Lente, Chanson de Capri, and Aubade de
Cherubin.
The music for the Prelude to the ballet is from Le
Dernier Sommeil de la Vierge and the Cantata
de la Vierge. The score for Act I, Scene I is
derived from Aubade de Cherubin, Scenes
Dramatique, Scenes Pittoresques, Le Cid, Crepuscule,
Pastorale from L'Esclaramonde, First Orchestral Suite,
Scenes Dramatiques, Si tu le Veux, Mignonne -- a
song, Griselda, Thais, Ariane, Elegie, Menuet
d'Amour from Therese. Act I, Scene II:
Cendrillon, Ouvre tes Yeux Bleus -- a song,
Cendrillon, and a salon
piece.
Act II, Scene I: Scenes Dramatiques, Au Cabaret --
Scenes Alsaciennes, Ariane, Bacchus, a salon
piece, Don Quixote, Cleopatre, Le Roi de Lahore,
Crepuscule, Air de Ballet, La Navarraise, Elegie, Il
Pluvait -- a song, Griselda, Cleopatre.
Scene II: Adam and Eve,
Bacchus.
Act III, Scene I: Cendrillon, Griselda, Don Quixote,
Cendrillon, Don Quixote, Don Quixote, Crepuscule,
Sappho and Adam and Eve. Scene II:
Symposium of hallucinations. Scene III: La Vierge,
La
Vierge.
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