MANON - MASSENET - PARIS
Opera
Manon is an opéra comique in five acts by Jules Massenet
to a French libretto by Henri Meilhac and Philippe Gille,
based on the 1731 novel "L'histoire du chevalier des Grieux et de Manon Lescaut" by the Abbé Prévost.
It was first performed at the Opéra-Comique in Paris on 19 January 1884
Performances
Opera Bastille Paris
Friday the 5th February (canceled covid)
Thursday the 11th February (canceled covid)
Thursday the 17th February
Cast
Manon - Ailyn Pérez
Le chevalier des Grieux - Roberto Alagna
Le comte des Grieux - Jean Teitgen
Guillot de Morfontaine - Rodolphe Briand
Brétigny - Marc Labonnette
Poussette - Andrea Cueva Molnar
Lescaut - Andrzej Filończyk
Javotte - Ilanah Lobel-Torres
Rosette - Jeanne Ireland
L'hôtelier - Philippe Rouillon
Deux gardes - Laurent Laberdesque ET Julien Joguet
Orchestra and Choirs "Opera National de Paris"
Conducteur - James Gaffigan
Production - Vincent Huguet
Set Design - Aurélie Maestre
Set Costumes - Clémence Pernoud
Press Review
Opéra Magazine - Catherine Scholler - March 2022
❝ A GREAT PLEASURE to hear Roberto Alagna. The French tenor, in great form, offers us a treat, in the repertoire that suits him best, with the sunshine of his timbre, almost untouched, despite a long and valiant career. The clarity of his diction is legendary.
EXCERPTS (translated from French): « This revival was subject to many setbacks. For example, the first two performances were cancelled, as the instrumentalists were so affected by Covid that there were not enough to fill the pit! Then came the waltz of the tenor's cast: three different singers for Des Grieux, whose dates of entry on stage changed several times. [...] It was therefore a great joy to hear Roberto Alagna, for a single time, on February 17. The French tenor, in great shape, regaled us, in the repertoire that suits him best, with the sunshine of his timbre, almost untouched, despite a long and valiant career. The clarity of his diction is legendary. »
ProÓpera Mexico - Ramón Jacques - February 2022
❝ ALAGNA STOOD OUT not only because of his experience, but also by the warmth of his singing, in a repertoire well suited to his temperament, with admirable control, assurance, elegance and convincing acting ❞
EXCERPTS (translated from Spanish): « One of the most emblematic operas of the French repertoire, Jules Massenet's Manon, was once again performed on the stage of the Opéra Bastille in Paris. […] Unexpected cast changes, especially at this time of year, caused that the role of Des Grieux in this performance was played by tenor Roberto Alagna, who just three days earlier had performed at a concert in town with his wife, soprano Aleksandra Kurzak. Alagna stood out not only because of his experience, but also by the warmth of his singing, in a repertoire well suited to his temperament, with admirable control, assurance, elegance and convincing acting. […] The role of Manon was entrusted to soprano Ailyn Pérez […]. Her harmony with Alagna in the duets is also worth mention
I Teatri dell'Est - Loredana Atzei - 02/17/2022
❝ "A REAL SUCCESS confirmed by the warm applause of the audience. A natural talent to catch the attention, a consummate mastery, a smooth and persuasive singing line, a splendid diction, richness of his interpretation combined with his luminous tone, and his ability to penetrate the character and convey his emotions to the audience. Perfect embodiment of the young Des Grieux. Act 3 at his best. High notes of extraordinary beauty and power."
EXCERPTS (translated from Italian): « Captivated, tormented and capable of anything for love, such is the passionate Chevalier Des Grieux by Roberto Alagna. For the Opéra Bastille, it is a real success confirmed by the warm applause of the audience.
The most emphatic moments are in the third act [...] [notably] the duet, full of eros and vocal sparks, with Des Grieux masterfully interpreted by Roberto Alagna in one of his signature roles. Here, in perfect chemistry, [Alagna and Pérez] manage to develop their characters with all their sensual and tragic charge.
The tenor has a natural talent for capturing attention with a consummate mastery, right from his first entrance on stage. His gestures, glances and smiles at her make us understand immediately that he is madly in love. His smooth and persuasive singing, his splendid diction, his richness of interpretation combined with his luminous tone, and his ability to penetrate the character and convey his emotions to the audience, make him the perfect incarnation of the young Des Grieux.
Absolutely up to scratch in the Act I duet with "Nous vivrons à Paris", he then chiselled a splendid and dreamy "rêve", rich in colours and celestial half-voices. In Act III, he is at his best with a "Fuyez douce image" full of torment, animated by high notes of extraordinary beauty and power. A performance that earned him enthusiastic applause even before the orchestra had finished playing the last note.
The opera's finale is poignant. She is taken to a prison-hospital and is transfigured by suffering. He is destroyed and unable to resign himself. Together they create a duet that is both tragic and poetic. »
Toute la Culture - Paul Fourier - 02/17/2022
❝MAGIC OF A UNIQUE PERFORMANCE with a slight air of a miracle. Alagna, instantly reminding us that he is a master of French opera, enchants us for three hours by the magic of his words and his appropriation of the character... Triumphant voice, without any trace of bluster but rather a form of modesty ... A subtle interpretation. Vocally, the bet was risky to return to this role. Could he still embody the youthfulness of the Chevalier? The answer is YES! ... The tenor leverages on his ardor and this unique brightness which suits so well the impetuosity of the hero ... Softness of the accents, perfect mastery of his incredible pianos ... Ardent and passionate in the duet of Saint-Sulpice, a perfect model of its kind ... Simplicity and purity of the singing ... Ovation to the artists❞
EXCERPTS (translated from French): « Manon or the magic of a unique performance at the Paris Opera. The vicissitudes of the cancellations linked to the Covid have led ROBERTO ALAGNA to return to the role of Des Grieux in Massenet's opera. Alongside a moving AILYN PEREZ, he asserts himself once again as the most beautiful interpreter of French opera. [...] Roberto Alagna had assured the dress rehearsal on the 8th (it is customary for the spectators invited to this rehearsal to abstain from any public comment), but the real baptism of fire for the one who was returning to the role, a decade after his previous last embodiment, was for this February 17th. [...] Facing [Ailyn Perez], therefore, is the return of Alagna who managed to "accomodate" this performance between the two concerts with Aleksandra Kurzak and the departure of the couple for New York and Tosca.
"Roberto, sing one word, one phrase and the world will instantly remember that you are a master of French opera!" It was probably this thought (or one similar to it) that the audience heard echoing inside when that first sentence rang: "J’ai marqué l’heure du départ. J’hésitais. Chose singulière….". This Des Grieux was going to enchant us, for three hours, by the magic of the words and by his appropriation of the character.
Tonight, if the voice is triumphant, there is no trace of bluster, but rather, a form of modesty, in the attitudes and the words. Alongside Ailyn Perez (whom he knows for having sung with her at the MET), this very human Manon, Alagna proposes a subtle interpretation. At first conquering when it is a question of conquering the beautiful one, here is a man who will lose his marks because of her. In an opera for which it is easy to fall into a form of sentimental theatricality, his acting is simple and the tenor, by a word or an accent, knows how to make appear a form of doubt or suffering.
Vocally, however Alagna he is, it was a risky bet to return to this role that made the great hours of his early career. Could he still embody the youthfulness of the Chevalier? The answer is yes! Samson and Otello have darkened his timbre but the tenor leverages on his ardor and this unique brightness which suits so well the impetuosity of the hero.
In this lyrical job, he takes care to control his voice and to spare his partner. When he sings "En fermant les yeux, je vois là-bas...", the softness of his accents, the perfect control of his incredible pianos give to these words a striking truth. Certainly, in Act III, one perceives a slight tension in the aria "Je suis seul. Seul enfin. C’est le moment suprême ", but the famous duet of Saint-Sulpice which follows, is, for him, as for her, a perfect model of its kind, passionate and ardent... as will be the one, much more resigned, at the end of the opera in which everything has given way to simplicity and purity of singing. [...]
In the end, all the ups and downs of the preparation of this Manon will have given the performance a slight air of miracle. At the end of the evening, the public was not mistaken, it was there to occupy every seat in the hall and to give the artists a standing ovation. »
Olyrix - Henry Runey - 02/17/2022
❝A unique evening for Roberto Alagna, received with enthusiasm. An unrivalled vocal presence, clear and precise elocution. He fully assured and assumed the size of the role. Youthful energy and maturity of his stage and vocal charisma. Nuance and emotion in the medium, intense vibrant vitality in the high notes. Always one of the most sought after tenors in this role and repertoire.. ❞
EXCERPTS (translated from French): « A unique evening for Roberto Alagna with Manon at Bastille. After several changes and cancellations, Roberto Alagna can finally sing Massenet's Manon at the Paris Opera, for a single date, received with enthusiasm. [...] The French-Italian tenor thus makes his return as the Chevalier des Grieux that he played in 2004 at the Bastille in Gilbert Deflo's production. [...] Roberto Alagna reminds us that he is still one of the most sought-after tenors in this role and this repertoire. His vocal presence, his clear and precise elocution seem unrivalled in the French repertoire. He fully assures and assumes the size of the role and of this lyrical scene of first importance, with even a youthful energy to interpret the young Des Grieux at the beginning of the opera, then with the maturity of his physical and vocal charisma. The voice is always phrased with nuance and emotion in the middle range, and rises to the high notes while maintaining its intense vibrant vitality. [...] The audience was enthusiastic, applauding the artists until the end of the curtain calls.»
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