Emotion battles with intellect in Manon Lescaut, who in her fickleness and coquetry cannot choose between the aristocratic, yet impoverished Des Grieux, and the rich Treasurer General, Geronte. An addiction to luxury finally forces her into exile in America, accompanied by the ever faithful Des Grieux. But Manon’s flightiness obliges the couple to flee yet again. In the desert, drained of all energy, Manon confesses her true love for Des Grieux.
The eternal struggle between virtue and vice … emotions which determine the actions of the protagonists more than reason – these were the ingredients for the success of Abbé Prévost’s novel, upon which Giacomo Puccini (and Massenet before him) based his opera. With great intensity and melodic invention, Puccini’s music underlines the tragic, passionate story in impressive fashion.
Dramma lirico in vier Akten by Giacomo Puccini.
Performed in Italian with German surtitles
Running time 2 hours 30 minutes
Musical Director: Christian Thielemann
Staging: Stefan Herheim
Szenische Staged by: Stefan Herheim, Christian Thausing
Set Design: Heike Scheele
Costume Design: Gesine Völlm
Lighting Design: Fabio Antoci
Choir: Pablo Assante
Dramaturgy: Alexander Meier-Dörzenbach
Manon Lescaut: Norma Fantini
Lescaut: Christoph Pohl
Renato Des Grieux: Thiago Arancam
Geronte di Ravoir: Maurizio Muraro
Edmondo: Giorgio Berrugi
Wirt: Scott Conner
Ein Musiker: Christel Lötzsch
Puccini (stumme Rolle): Mathias Kopetzki
Madrigalistinnen: Kira Tabatschnik, Masako Furuta, Cornelia Butz, Ute Siegmund
With generous support of the foundation of the Semperoper Dresden
A co-production between Opera Graz and Saxon State Opera Dresden
Saxon State Oper a Choir Dresden
Staatskapelle Dresden
