Manon og Kilden

Jonathan Kent’s new production of Manon Lescaut recorded at the Royal Opera House in 2014, includes a stellar cast, featuring Kristine Opolais and Jonas Kaufmann in the roles of the young lovers Manon Lescaut and the Chevalier des Grieux. Kent brings this 19th-century classic to a 2014 setting, non-naturalistic and theatrical. Supporting the action on stage is the Orchestra and Chorus of the Royal Opera House, with their venerable Music Director Antonio Pappano.

Après la mort de son père, Manon et sa mère s'installent dans la grotte de Baptistine. Manon cherche un moyen de venger la mort de son père. Roman inspiré des souvenirs d'enfance provençaux de M. Pagnol. …

In 1974, British choreographer Kenneth MacMillan in turn decided to focus on the two protagonists for an ambitious ballet that could translate the feelings and emotions of two souls abused by the accidents of life and their own personal weaknesses. In short, how a young girl on her way to a convent manages to elope with the young student with whom she has just fallen in love, only to leave him to escape destitution and finally allow herself to be persuaded by her brother Lescaut to yield to the advances of wealthy “protectors”. Accused of prostitution and deported to Louisiana, Manon is rescued by Des Grieux. Driven to murder by Manon’s jailer, he escapes with her into the marshes where the young girl ultimately succumbs. Although sincere, the love that Manon and Des Grieux share for each other cannot stand up to the vagaries of existence. As a result, neither is able to escape moral or social decline. Rather than reuse the score of Massenet’s opera, MacMillan entrusted Leighton Lucas with the task of arranging a series of extracts taken from a selection of the French composer’s operatic, symphonic and vocal scores… The end result was a huge success from its debut performance in London in 1974 onwards.

Sarah Lamb and Vadim Muntagirov star as tragic lovers Manon and Des Grieux in this performance of Kenneth MacMillans Manon, a classic of the Royal Ballet repertory. Nicholas Gerogiadiss period designs set the ballet in the contrasting worlds of Paris Luxury and Louisiana swampland, while the intense emotion of MacMillans choreography is complemented by a score drawn from Massenets music. The impassioned pas de deux from Manon and Des Grieux drive this tragic story, and make Manon one of MacMillans most powerful dramas.

Giacomo Puccini - Manon Lescaut (2006) [DVD] {Deutsche Grammophon}
DVD9 -> 7.08 Gb | All Regions | NTSC 4:3 | Italiano (LPCM, 2 ch / Dolby AC3, 6 ch / DTS, 6 ch) | ~ 132 min | ISO Image
Subs: Italiano, English, Deutsch, Francais, Espanol, Chinese
Full Artwork @ 600 dpi (jpg) -> 92 Mb | 5% repair rar
© 2006 Deutsche Grammophon | 00440 073 4241
Classical / Opera

James Levine conducts Renata Scotto and Placido Domingo in the Metropolitan Opera's 1980 production of Puccini's early masterpiece, a performance of 'fluid movement, eye-catching invention, sex appear and above all, a sense of humor.' Unfortunately I never had the opportunity to see Renata Scotto live in the theatre, but I am told that she is an excellent singing actress. Witness that for yourself in this magnificent production of one of my favourite Puccini operas. When Scotto is on stage you can't take your eyes off her, and watch her face at the end of Act III as DeGrieux pleads with the Captain to let him join her on board ship - what an amazing actress she is.

International superstars Anna Netrebko and Rolando Villazón give inspired performances in Massenet's passionate opera, Manon. Netrebko gives full range to her abilities as a singer and actress in portraying innocence, lust, greed and, above all, beauty. It is Netrebko's mesmerizing performance which makes Villazón's youthful passion and ultimate despair even more authentic and heart-breaking. The setting in this production has been updated to the 1950s and the entire opera takes place as if Manon were the star of her own film. Indeed, Netrebko transforms her character from the innocence of Audrey Hepburn through the voluptuousness of Marilyn Monroe into the tragedy of Ingrid Bergman.