The Met Live in HD: Massenet’s Manon

Jules Massenet’s Manon
Estimated run time 3:52
Acts I & II 71 min / 32 min intermission / Act III 61 min / 27 min intermission / Acts IV & V 41 min

Premiere: Opéra Comique, Paris, 1884. A take on the quintessentially French tale of the beautiful young woman who is incapable of forsaking both love and luxury, Massenet’s Manon features one of the truly unforgettable, irresistible, and archetypal female characters in opera. While the story is firmly set in class and gender issues of the past, the character of Manon herself is timeless, convincing, and familiar. The opera has been a success ever since its premiere, championed by a diverse roster of singers who have cherished its dramatic opportunities, exalted style, and ravishing music.
Exhilarating soprano Lisette Oropesa stars as the irresistible title character, the tragic beauty who yearns for the finer things in life, in Laurent Pelly’s revealing production. Tenor Michael Fabiano is the besotted Chevalier des Grieux, whose desperate love for Manon proves their undoing. Maurizio Benini conducts Massenet’s sensual score.

Sponsored by Dr. Victor & Janet Ashear, Christine Gempp Love Foundation, Witzel Family Foundation, Thickman Family Foundation, and Susan Scott Heyneman Foundation