Opera "Manon Lesko": content, interesting facts, video, history

D. Puccini opera "Manon Lesko"

When a hitherto not very successful 30-year-old composer was excited about the idea of ​​writing a new opera, the venerable Milanese publisher Julio Ricordi told him that the idea was doomed to failure. "Manon Lescot, dear Giacomo? While all of Europe sings Gavotte from Juan Massenet's Manon? This idea is doomed to failure!" The composer retorted: "Massenet created" Manon "as a Frenchman - with powder and minuets. And I will do it as an Italian - with despair and passion." Intuition did not let him down - "Manon Lesko" surpassed the glory of the older rival and revealed to the world the name Giacomo Puccini.

Summary of the Opera Puccini "Manon Lesko"and many interesting facts about this work read on our page.

Summary of Manon Lescot

France, the second half of the 18th century. Square in Amiens, where people are waiting for the arrival of the stagecoach. In the company of young people, Rene de Grieu talks about love, which he has never experienced, which causes ridicule. Lesko appears with his sister Manon. Brother performs the will of his father and takes her to the veil in the monastery. De Grieux is amazed at the beauty of the girl, and as soon as she is alone, she starts a conversation with her, begging him to come for a secret date.

Meanwhile, Edmond overhears how Gerond de Ravoir negotiates with the innkeeper about the crew in which he wants to abduct Manon. Learning about this, De Grieu leads away the coach’s outfit for the treasurer and convinces Manon to go with him to Paris - he has a crush on her. Geront is annoyed by the flight of Manon, but Lesko calms him down. De Grieux is poor, which means that a girl who dreams of a luxurious life will soon leave him.

So it happened - Manon lives with Geront. She left de Grieux as soon as he ran out of money. But the rich house had already bored her, and Manon remembers his former love. Lesko leads to her de Grieux, the lovers are explained and again decide to flee. But this time, Manon does not want to languish in poverty, and begins to collect all the jewels donated by Geront. However, they do not have time to escape - the treasurer overtakes them, accusing Manon of debauchery. The girl is arrested and sent to prison.

Manon awaits expulsion by ship to America. Lesko and de Grieu want to organize her escape, but suffer a fiasco. De Grieux can not let go of his beloved, and the captain of the ship allows him to travel with her.

In search of shelter lovers wander through the American desert. Manon is seriously ill and thirsty, but de Grieu’s attempts to find water are in vain. The last words of Manon are the assurances of love, she dies in the arms of a sobbing lover.

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Interesting Facts

• The operas on the plot of Prevost are not really two, but three. In 1856, the Parisian public was presented the work of titled French composer Daniel Aubert "Manon Lescot". The opera was staged several times at home, but did not succeed, and with the advent of the work, Massenet stopped performing altogether. Ober was destined to be the pioneer of many plots that would later be popular operas ... by other composers. So, in 1831 he releases "Love drink", whose libretto, translated into Italian, becomes the basis for the opera of the same name G. Donizettipopular today. In 1833 - "Gustav III" is released, the Italian libretto of which in 1859 turns into a masterpiece "Ball Masquerade "by G. Verdi.
• The tragic love story was honored by the attention and ballet scene. In 1830, J. Halevy’s “Manon Lesko” ballet was staged. In 1974, the British choreographer C. Macmillan created the ballet "Manon" to music from works by J. Massenet.

• In 1922 Puccini made a new edition of the opera, which was performed in La Scala by maestro Arturo Toscanini in honor of the 30th anniversary of the first production.
• Many tenors call the de Grieu party the firing squad. It is the most difficult for Puccini - it is even physically difficult to overcome the 4 acts of temperamental arias and duets. Tessitour difficulties and high emotional tension work almost all over the opera.
• Intermezzo before the third act is considered to be one of the best symphonic works in the opera.
• Every day in some theater of the world give "Manon Lesko".
• Cezira Ferrani made such a strong impression on Puccini that he did not want to see anyone else in the role of his next heroine, Mimi.
• At the beginning of the story, Manon was only 15, and in the final - 18 years.
• It was the role of Manon Lesko that Anna Netrebko chose to debut at the Bolshoi Theater. Until the premiere of 2016, the theater has never turned to this opera.

History of creation and productions "Manon Lesko"

Fernando Fontana, the librettist of his previous operas, was advised to write an opera based on the novel of the abbot Prévo Puccini. Fontana hoped to continue cooperation with the promising composer. However, among the many librettists "Manon Lesko" his name was not. R. Leoncavallo, M. Prague, D. Oliva, L. Illica, D. Djakoz and even D. Ricordi himself took part in the creation of the text of the opera. Such a number of writers and consultants was due to the strict requirements of the composer - he was merciless to everything that did not suit him, do not hesitate to express expressions in communication. As a result, only the name Puccini was mentioned at the first musical edition of the opera, since he subjected the libretto to endless alterations to such an extent that none of his co-authors could put their surname under this hybrid of several text versions with full confidence.

Focus of attention Puccini He focused on the dramatic relationships and feelings of the main characters. He, in essence, was not concerned with the circumstances or the place of action. That is why his libretto doesn’t explain the reason why in the final the couple of protagonists find themselves in the American desert - the ship has moored to the coast of New Orleans. In various sources there are descriptions of the mercantile spirit of Manon, because of which de Grie in America committed a robbery and murder, or of the nobility of de Grieu, who killed the son of the head of the colony, who harassed Manon. However, these versions were invented by the interpreters of the plot of the opera and have no relation to the genuine libretto of Manon Lescot.

The history of relations Manon, de Grieux and Geront could not leave the composer indifferent also because she reminded of the story from his own life, in which there were both poverty, and an affair with the wife of a wealthy person, and condemnation of society. That is why no one decided to put his name on the cover of the book next to the name of Puccini - it was a story only about him and about him - with all the passions, tears and struggle for love. The composer used the melodies of his early works in this opera - chamber compositions, songs, random children's compositions, Messa di Gloria.

In many ways, "Manon Lescot" was held thanks to a unique sense of Giulio Ricordi. He was the only one who unconditionally supported Puccini’s talent, while even the board of directors of his publishing house repeatedly raised the issue of stopping the composer’s funding.

The place of the first performance of the opera also chose Ricordi. He did not want to confuse the public's impressions either in Rome, where the “Pagliacci” had just died down, or in Milan, where preparations for the sensational premiere of Falstaff of the divine Verdi were in full swing. February 1, 1893 "Manon Lesko" saw the light of the ramp at the Royal Theater of Turin, revealing to the world a new genius. The audience went on a rampage, summoning singers to the bows countless times. In the party Manon shone Cesira Ferrani, the role of de Grie performed by Giuseppe Cremonini. The next day, the press widely highlighted the past event, not stinging for praise. A year later, after the performance of the opera in London, the great comedian Bernard Shaw declared on the pages of The World that Puccini was Verdi’s most likely successor.

In addition to fame, the first substantial earnings came, only in the first year - 40 thousand lire for the rights of Manon Lescot. Puccini could rightly be proud of this result! He bought his home in Lucca, which was sold after the death of his mother, paid off all the debts, rented a villa in Torre del Lago. And with caution began to go into society with Elvira.

For the first few years, "Manon Lesko" was delivered in many countries around the world. Only two opera nations seemed not to notice her great success - in France she was heard only in 1906, not at all in the capital's scenes, but in Nice. But if the French jealousy of the Italian rival is understandable, the reason why the opera appeared in Vienna 15 years late is completely incomprehensible. The Russian public got acquainted with the opera sensation a few months after the premiere, in the same 1893. Two years later the clavier was published in Russian.

After the revolution, Russian theaters seemed to have forgotten about opera with such an ambiguous theme. The first productions were undertaken only in the 70s. Today, both Russian capitals have their own Manon Lesko, both performances are interesting with non-standard directing. The Bolshoi Theater presents the work of A. Shapiro, and the Mikhailovsky Theater by Y. Flimma

Music "Manon Lesko" in the movies

Opera melodies are used in more than two dozen films. The most famous:

• “Gotham”, the television series (2014-2017)
• "Lovers" (2008)
• The Stranger (2006)
• Callas Forever (2002)
• "Hannah and her sisters" (1986)
• "The most beautiful woman in the world" (1955)

Parties from Manon Lesko were in the repertoire of all the greatest singers of the 20th century. Many performances with their outstanding works have found their second life on video. Note some:

• Production of the Metropolitan Opera 2008 with Karita Mattila and Marcello Giordani
• Production of La Scala 1998 with Maria Guleghina and José Cura
• 1983 Covent Garden with Placido Domingo and Kiri Te Kanawa
• Production of the Metropolitan Opera in 1980 with Placido Domingo and Renata Scotto

Giacomo Puccini at 34, he was fully rewarded for his long time of study and creative pursuits, failures and poverty. Success came along with the young and unlucky Manon. Perhaps that is why the main heroines of almost all his subsequent operas will be women - selflessly loving, loyal, sad, imperfect and incredibly beautiful - Mimi, Liu, Madame Butterfly, Sister Angelica, Tosca. But the main thing - inManon Lesko"the style of the great master was formed, who did not join either the influential Wagnerians or the popular verists, but he made his own path in the history of music.