MSC French Opera Course (Teacher Notes) Page 40

Home , Manon, Manon Lescaut, Manon Lescaut (Auber), Manon Lescaut (Puccini), Philippe Gille

Session 8: Jules Massenet’s Manon [ affectionate form of the name Marie]

I About the Composer: [b. Montaud, 1842; d. Paris, 1912 (age 70)] He was the youngest of 12 children. Musical Education- Began piano study with his mother. a.) Age 14, performing as a pianist. At age 10, Paris Conservatoire a.) Composition with Amboise Thomas At age 21, Pris de Rome [cantata David Rizzio] Professional Career- Paris Conservatoire, professor of composition, later Director Compositions (prodigious catalogue of works)- 4 ballets Incidental music for 12 plays Several (7) orchestral suites Handful of chamber works & piano pieces. Nearly 300 songs 27 Operas (Became the preeminent French opera composer of the late 19th century) including: Manon (1884) Werther (1892) Thais (1894) Cendrillon (1899) Don Quixotte (1910) II The Opera: Page 41

1.) Libretto- In French by Henri Meilhac & Philippe Gille and based on the novel [1728] “The Adventures of Chevalier des Grieux and Manon Lescaut” by Abbe Prevost. (Puccini, Auber) 2.) Premiere- 1884, Opera-Comique, Paris 3.) Setting- The village of Amiens, then Paris & later the road to Le Havre in Pre- revolution France. 4.) Major roles- Manon (lyric soprano), Des Grieux (lyric tenor), Lescaut (lyric baritone), Conte des Grieux (bass) 5.) Synopsis- Manon Lescaut, pausing at Amiens on her way to a convent, falls in love with the young Chevalier Des Grieux and elopes with him to Paris. Manon’s cousin Lescaut arranges for Des Grieux to be kidnapped, thus freeing the flighty Manon for a new adventure with De Bretigny. Learning from Des Grieux’s father that his son intends to take holy orders. Manon determines to see him again. With impassioned words she persuades him to renounce his vows and rejoin her in a life of pleasure. His money soon gone, Des Grieux gambles and wins, but is accused of cheating by a rival for Manon and is arrested, though later freed by his influential father. Manon is not so fortunate; arrested and condemned to be deported to Louisiana, she is rescued by Des Grieux in vain- her life is over. 6.) Production- 2001, Opera national de Paris/ Opera Bastille Jesus Lopez-Cobos, conductor/ Gilbert Deflo, Director 7.) Cast includes- Renee Fleming (Manon), Marcelo Alvarez (Des Grieux), Jean-Luc Chaignaud (Lescaut), Alain Verhes (Le Comte Des Grieux)

*YouTube Highlights: Massenet: manon; lopez cobos, paris; fleming, alvarez, chaignaud, seneschal, vernhes, ferrari, azzaretti ACT ONE: An Inn courtyard at Amiens Page 42

*[13:50-17:20 to applause] aria “Je suis encore tout etourdes” [Manon] After greeting her cousin Lescaut, Manon relates how she left home a simple country maid and the sights she saw & how she laughed & wept for joy, forgetting that she was on her way to the convent.

*[29:55-38:20 to applause] duet “Et je suis votre nom” [Des Grieux & Manon] Manon tells of herself that she is not really a bad girl, but her family believes she loves pleasure too much & needs the discipline of convent life. Des Grieux, smitten by the young girl’s charms, convinces her to elope with him to Paris.

ACT TWO: Sometime later: Manon & Des Grieux’s apartment in Paris

*[57:25-1:00:00 to applause] Aria “Adieu, Notre petite table” [Manon] Manon sings a farewell to the little table which seems to symbolize for her the shared happiness she now seems prepared to abandon.

*[1:02:40-1:05:45 to applause] aria “le Reve” [Des Grieux] Returning home & perplexed to find Manon in tears, Des Grieux attempts to comfort her by relating his dream of a little cottage in the country.

ACT THREE, scene one: On the Cours la Reine

*[1:17:50-1:24:15 to applause] aria “Je marche sur tous les chemins” [Manon] At a festival on the Cours la Reine, Manon, now the mistress of De Bretigny, voices her philosophy that lie is made for love, laughter & song. scene two: Saint Sulpice

*[1:46:45-1:50:50 to applause] aria “Ah, fuyez douce image” [Des Grieux] Des Grieux declares that despite his pious efforts, he cannot drive the memory of Manon away. ACT FOUR: At the Hotel Transylvanie Page 43

*[2:12:45-2:22:20 to applause] [Manon, Des Grieux & ensemble] Gambling at the Hotel Transylvanie, Des Grieux & Manon is accused of cheating by Guillot and then arrested.

ACT FIVE: The road to the port of Le Havre

*[2:28:55-2:38:55 to applauses] finale duet [Des Grieux & Manon] Having spent months in prison, Manon is finally being transported with others to the port of Le Havre where she is to be shipped to the French penal colony in Louisiana. Des Grieux & Lescaut have hatched a plan to abduct Manon in transit but the plot fails when their support flees. Lescaut succeeds in bribing a meeting with Manon & Des Grieux. She has suffered greatly in prison: she is very frail, sick & losing her reason. In this final scene, they recall their earlier days as Manon slowly slips away.