She's about to become a nun. Then she meets HIM. Chaos ensues in 18th-century France.
Natalie Dessay and Rolando Villazón bring Jules Massenet's classic opera to the stage in this dazzling production. In 18th-century France, Manon (Dessay) faces life as a nun, despite catching the eye of many men. When she meets the handsome but penniless des Grieux (Villazón), she falls deeply in love. The pair elopes, but their future together is threatened by outside forces.
Acting
Dessay and Villazón's chemistry is genuinely electric
Direction
McVicar's staging makes 175 minutes fly by
Production
Lavish period sets that scream 'money well spent'
Director
David McVicar
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Dessay and Villazón were opera's 'it couple' in the 2000s, making this recording peak shipping material before that was even a term.
Massenet wrote Manon in 1884 specifically as a vehicle for star sopranos, and the role has destroyed careers and cemented legends ever since.
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