Manon

Composer: Massenet, Jules

Librettist/Text Author: Meilhac, Henri

Librettist/Text Author: Gille, Philippe

Libretto Source: Prevost, Antoine-Francois

Conductor: Barenboim, Daniel

Orchestra: Berlin Staatskapelle

Chorus: Berlin State Opera Chorus

Chorus Master: Eberhard, Friedrich

De Bretigny: Kataja, Arttu

Guillot de Morfontaine: Corazza, Remi

Javotte: James, Gal

Le Chevalier Des Grieux: Villazon, Rolando

Le Comte Des Grieux: Fischesser, Christof

Lescaut: Daza, Alfredo

Manon Lescaut: Netrebko, Anna

Poussette: Alattar, Hanan

Publican: Vieweg, Matthias

Rosette: De La Muela, Silvia

Set Designer: Leiacker, Johannes

Costume Designer: Hilferty, Susan

Lighting Designer: Schuler, Duane

Choreographer: Paterson, Vincent

Stage Director: Paterson, Vincent

Television Director: Morell, Andreas

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Date of Production: 2008

Venue: Staatsoper Unter den Linden, Berlin

Playing Time: 02:50:00

Catalogue Number: A05016414

Libretto

Manon EN

Synopsis

Manon

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From "dream team" of the opera stage to "dream team" of classic and pop - Anna Netrebko and Rolando Villazón have long since conquered the entire world of music. Yet while their CD Duets ranked third on the pop charts, the opera stage remains their preferred venue. And in Jules Massenet's Manon, they have found a drama worthy of their combined talents.

Manon, the tragic heroine of Massenet's work, is torn between flirtatiousness and profound love, between frivolity and deep commitment. Netrebko seems predestined for this role, with her body language alternating between girlish, introspective and carefree, and her voice radiating brilliance, warmth, mystery and longing. As the impoverished young nobleman Des Grieux, Rolando Villazón compellingly depicts the burning passion of an ultimately doomed lover with his glowing, supple, slender tenor voice.

The glittering production's distinctly Hollywood touch is due to director Vincent Paterson, who makes his operatic debut with Manon. Paterson knows what stars want: he worked his way up from dancer to director of music video clips and internationally renowned choreographer who has worked with Madonna, Michael Jackson and Paul McCartney, and staged several Broadway musicals. He also worked on films such as Dancer in the Dark, Evita and The Birdcage. Paterson sees Manon as a cinematic tale for the opera stage, Massenet's colorful music as a kind of film soundtrack. This is why he put the accent clearly on glamour.

"Barenboim infuses the appealing melodies with color, and is finely attuned to the emotional fragility that they express" (Süddeutsche Zeitung, 2 May 2007). As befits an event of such dimensions, one of the performances of the opera was projected on 70-square-meter screen on a major Berlin square in front of 20,000 people. This is a Manon which appeals clear across the board to lovers of opera, movies, Broadway shows and beautiful people with gorgeous voices!