Next dates for the celebrations for the 150th anniversary of the birth of Giacomo Puccini – Manon Lescaut
Opera in four acts. Libretto by anonymous author in collaboration with Giuseppe Giacosa, Luigi Illica, Ruggero Leoncavallo, Domenico Oliva, Marco Praga, Giacomo Puccini, and Giuli. Music by Giacomo Puccini.
Cast: Manon Lescaut Paoletta Marrocu / Virna Sforza
Lescaut Davide Damiani / Damiano Salerno
Chevalier Renato Des Grieux Kamen Chanev / Boiko Zvetanov
Geronte di Ravoir Stefano Rinaldi Miliani
Edmondo Francesco Marsiglia
Innkeeper Nicola Simone Mugnaini
Dancing Master Saverio Bambi
A musician Jane Kowalski
Sergeant of the Royal Archers Nicola Simone Mugnaini
A lamplighter Saverio Bambi
A naval captain Leonardo Nibbi Conductor Elio Boncompagni
Director Lutz Hochstraate
Scenery and costumes Carlo Tommasi
Chorus master Marco Bargagna
Lighting designer Marco Minghetti
Orchestra e Coro per la Lirica Toscana Art Advisor Elio Boncompagni New production by Teatro del Giglio, Lucca
Plot: Manon Lescaut Act one. Manon Lescaut arrives at an inn in Amiens, where Edmondo is singing love in the Arcadian sense, and Des Grieux, a penniless student, is apparently carefree. She is accompanied by her brother. There is the fateful meeting with Renato Des Grieux; the two fall in love, but the woman is ordered to a convent.
However, old Geronte claps eyes on the young girl and orders her kidnapping; Edmondo, who listened to the conversation of the moneyed old man and the innkeeper, alarms Des Grieux, who can only anticipate Geronte by kidnapping Manon first.
The two lovers go quickly away while the students mock the cheated old man. Lescaut reassures him; he believes that Manon, who loves luxury, will soon leave the student to go back to him.
Act two. At Geronte’s, Manon is gracefully making her toilet; the girl was tired of the student and went back to the rich old man, as foreseen by her brother.
Lescaut notices that his sister is unhappy and misses her old lover. There are scenes of empty aristocratic life at Geronte’s lounge.
Having retired to her rooms, Manon is taking care of her beauty again. When Des Grieux breaks in, passion sets them on fire; Geronte catches the two lovers in the act and calls the guards, while Manon feathers her nest with jewels, against the will of Des Grieux. Lescaut arrives, too, but it is too late and the police arrest Manon.
Act three. The scene opens with the port of Le Havre. Accused of prostitution, Manon has to be translated "to Americas". Lescaut reveals Des Grieux to have corrupted a guard to let Manon escape, but the plan goes wrong. Des Grieux takes up arms and confronts the guards, but then regrets it and wants to sign on as cabin-boy on the same ship deporting Manon; the captain agrees.
Act four. Manon and Des Grieux are in the Louisiana desert, near New Orleans. Des Grieux had to fight duels to defend her beloved from the desires of those who thought she was a mercenary woman, and so the two lovers escaped to the desert surrounding the town, a French colony. More and more exhausted and lonely, they are meditating. By now, Manon is aware of being close to death, while her lover walks away looking for help. When Des Grieux is back, disconsolate for finding no help at all, he is just in time to welcome the last words of the woman and her last kiss.