Manon Lescaut by Giacomo Puccini Cast MANON LESCAUT (soprano) LESCAUT, her brother, Sergeant of the Royal Guards (baritone) IL CAVALIERE DES GRIEUX, a student (tenor) GERONTE DI RAVOIR, Treasurer-General (bass) EDMONDO, a student (tenor) INNKEEPER (bass) SINGER (mezzo-soprano) DANCING-MASTER (tenor) LAMPLIGHTER (tenor) SERGEANT OF THE ROYAL ARCHERS (bass) NAVAL CAPTAIN (bass) HAIRDRESSER (silent) Singers, old beaux and abbés, girls, townsfolk, students, courtesans, archers, sailors ACT ONE STUDENTS Now the avenue is brightening up. AT AMIENS A large square near the Paris Gate. EDMONDO I’ll devise a madrigal, (On the right, an avenue. On the left, an inn with artful, bold and merry. a portico under which tables are laid out. A small They come flocking, outside staircase leads to the first floor of the inn. our young working girls — Students, townspeople and soldiers stroll about STUDENTS the square or stand talking in groups. Others sit Fresh, laughing and pretty. at the tables drinking or playing cards.) EDMONDO EDMONDO I’ll devise a madrigal, artful and merry, (in a knot of fellow students) and may my Muse excel in gallantry! Hail, gentle evening descending (to some of the girls) with your train of zephyrs and stars; Youth is our name, hail, so dear to poets and lovers — Hope is our goddess; STUDENTS indomitable courage Ha ha ha! drags us by the hair. And to thieves and drunks! STUDENTS We have cut short your madrigal! Youth is our name! EDMONDO Hope is our goddess; And I thank you. indomitable courage Here gaily flocking up the avenue drags us by the hair. come our fresh, laughing and pretty Divine ecstasy! working-girls. Now, you laughing girls made for love, surrender your hearts. 2 GIRLS is there hiding a pretty, charming girl A wave of perfume drifts through the air, with rosy lips who waits for me? the swallows fly away Is it you, fair star? Tell me! and the sunlight dies. Show me my destiny and the divine, ardent face STUDENTS, then TOWNSPEOPLE which shall capture my love, Give your lips, give your hearts which I shall gaze upon and adore eternally! to valiant youth. (Edmondo and the other students laugh.) Among you, dark and fair beauties, etc. GIRLS Is it you, slender brunette? Tell me! This is the hour of day-dreams when hope struggles with sadness. EDMONDO and STUDENTS (Des Grieux enters, dressed as a student.) Bravo! Bravo! STUDENTS EDMONDO Here is Des Grieux! Take note, companions, let no-one complain about him anymore! EDMONDO (to Des Grieux) Come and join us, friend, and laugh STUDENTS, GIRLS, TOWNSPEOPLE and yield to the urge of strange adventure. Bravo! What? No reply? Why? Let’s celebrate the evening Perhaps for some unattainable lady as is our custom. a sharp pang of love pierces you? Let the glasses ring with merry music in the toasts DES GRIEUX and let the ardent enchantment Love? Love? of pleasure sweep us away! Of that tragedy, or rather farce, Ah! Let’s celebrate! I know nothing! Dances, toasts, mad caprices, (Edmondo and some of the students talk to Des the procession of pleasure Grieux. Others court the girls at the entrance to now advances along the streets, the avenue.) and night will reign; shining and impetuous, STUDENTS it is a poem of splendor: Rubbish! Cautiously, blithely, you are let its light and passion concealing conquer all. mysterious conquests. Shining and impetuous, etc. (A postilions horn is heard.) DES GRIEUX Here comes the coach from Arras! Friends, you do me too much honor. (The coach stops outside the inn and the crowd EDMONDO and STUDENTS watches the passengers alight. First Lescaut, By jove, we’ve guessed it, friend. then Geronte who helps Manon to the ground.) You’re worried over a snub. Let’s see them getting out! Elegant travelers — dandies! DES GRIEUX No, not yet, STUDENTS (admiring Manon) but if it pleases you I’ll humor you — Who wouldn’t give that lovely girl and at once! a tender salute of welcome? (He approaches a group of girls.) LESCAUT Among you, dark and fair beauties, Ho there! Innkeeper! 3 (to Geronte) DES GRIEUX Sir, you are a model of courtesy. And in your face Ho, there! Innkeeper! the springtime blooms forth! O fair one, what harsh fate dogs you? INNKEEPER (rushing up, followed by servants) MANON Here I am! My fate is this: my father’s firm wish. DES GRIEUX (gazing at Manon) DES GRIEUX Heavens, how beautiful she is! Oh, how lovely you are! Ah, no! It is not a sterile GERONTE convent that shall covet you! No! (to the landlord) On your destiny another star is shining. Tonight, friend, I shall stay here. (to Lescaut) MANON Your pardon! My star is sinking! (to the innkeeper) Landlord, see to my luggage. DES GRIEUX We cannot talk now. INNKEEPER Come back soon, Very well, sir. and conspiring against fate (He instructs the servants to unload the we shall triumph. baggage, then turns to Geronte and Lescaut.) Pray follow me. MANON (He goes up the steps followed by Geronte and So much pity lies in your words! Lescaut, who motions to Manon to wait for I want to remember you! him.) What is your name? DES GRIEUX DES GRIEUX (to Manon) I am René des Grieux. Gentle lady accept my plea: let those sweet lips tell me your name. LESCAUT (from the inn) MANON Manon! My name is Manon Lescaut. MANON DES GRIEUX I must leave you. Pardon my words, (turning towards the inn) but I am drawn to you I’m coming! by some mysterious fascination. (to Des Grieux) I even seem to have seen you before, My brother is calling me. and my heart throbs with strange emotions. Pardon my words! DES GRIEUX When do you leave? You’ll return? MANON MANON I leave at dawn tomorrow. No, I cannot! Leave me, please! A convent awaits me. 4 DES GRIEUX LESCAUT O sweet one, I beg. Exactly, exactly. I have more sense than might appear, MANON though an unsavory reputation surrounds my You have won me over. exploits. When darkness falls! But I know life, maybe too well. (She stops speaking as she sees Lescaut on the Paris is a very great school. balcony of the inn and hurries to join him.) Complainingly, I perform my duty as my sister’s mentor, DES GRIEUX like a true soldier. Never have I seen such a woman! To tell her: I love you, GIRLS awakens my heart to new life. Your friends faithful for the moment, “My name is Manon Lescaut.” do you want a kiss, a sigh, from us? How those fragrant words Ah, we’ll crown the victor — linger in my spirit just ask for a kiss, a sigh! and caress hidden chords. O gentle murmur, pray never cease! etc. STUDENTS Whoever loses, whoever wins, “My name is Manon Lescaut.” we all long for you, sweet maids. O gentle murmur, pray never cease! (Edmondo and the students who have been LESCAUT watching Des Grieux crowd around him.) I simply say that in this world no misfortune befalls us EDMONDO and STUDENTS without some compensation. Your luck reassures us. And what may your name be, sir? O worthy devotee of Cupid, the fair and divine angel GERONTE has come from heaven for your delight, etc. Geronte di Ravoir. (Des Grieux leaves in a huff.) He’s off. Then he must be in love! STUDENTS (Edmondo and the students cross to the inn and Both he who weeps and he who laughs, join a group of girls.) mischance casts us down and mocks us; but the mad eternal song STUDENTS of love joyfully bursts forth, etc. Come, sweet maids! Bring us good fortune. GIRLS We’ll crown the victor, GIRLS and the heart of the vanquished Is she fair or is she dark, shrouded in gloom the goddess who guides your game? shall rest in the warm aura of soft caresses, forgetting shame and pain. etc. GERONTE So your sister is taking the veil? EDMONDO (to one of the girls) Farewell, my star, farewell, my blossom, LESCAUT pretty sister of the god of love. On the bad advice of my family. My sighs enfold you and for a day do not deceive me. GERONTE (The girl leaves him. Seeing Geronte and I take it that you have different ideas? Lescaut talking, he decides to eavesdrop.) 5 LESCAUT LESCAUT Are you travelling for pleasure? (standing behind one of the players and studying his hand) GERONTE An ace? My good sir, a jack! No, duty: You’re wrong, you’re wrong! the collection of taxes for my purse, by the King’s grace. ALL That’s right! A jack! You’re a master! LESCAU (to himself) LESCAUT What a crock of gold! You’re joking! An amateur. (He sits down and takes a hand of cards. GERONTE Geronte reappears and seeing Lescaut Your sister does not seem happy either. engrossed in the game calls the innkeeper.) LESCAUT GERONTE Imagine! Eighteen years old! Friend, I pay in advance and dispense So many dreams and hopes! with the talk! A coach and horses to drive GERONTE like the wind — in an hour! I understand. Poor child! We must console her. INNKEEPER Will you join me tonight for supper? Yes, sir! LESCAUT GERONTE Honored! Honored! Behind the inn, in an hour — understand? (He points to the inn, offering a drink.) A man and a young girl will be there — Meanwhile, allow me — and away like the wind, away to Paris. And remember that silence is golden. GERONTE Excuse me, wait for a moment INNKEEPER I must give some instructions to the landlord.