Programs · Episode

MASSENET: Manon

Program: At the Opera
Aired: Saturday, April 29, 2023 @ 6:00 pm
Hosted by Lisa Simeone

Lost innocence has long been an attractive subject for operas, and both Puccini and Massenet took it on in dramas telling the tragic story of Manon.  Of the resulting operas, Puccini's Manon Lescaut may take the prize for sizzling passion.  But Massenet's Manon is surely the winner when it comes to pure tunefulness, and it boasts a soprano role that's a brilliant showcase for both vocal and dramatic artistry.  The two recordings we’ll hear AT THE OPERA both feature a distinguished singer in that title role. From 2001, it's a live recording from Paris, starring Renée Fleming. And, we'll hear Angela Gheorghiu as Manon in a 1999 recording from Brussels.

Pictured: Massenet in his later years/ Wikipedia

FEATURED RECORDINGS:

Jesús López-Cobos, conductor
Orchestra and Chorus of the Paris National Opera
(Sony 90458)
CAST: Renée Fleming (Manon); Marcelo Álvarez (Des Grieux); Jean-Luc Chaignaud (Lescaut); Michel Sénéchal (Guillot); Franck Ferrari (Bretigny); Alain Vernhes (Count Des Grieux)

Antonio Pappano, conductor
Orchestra and Chorus of La Monnaie, Brussels
(EMI 81842)
CAST: Angela Gheorghiu (Manon); Roberto Alagna (Des Grieux); Earle Patriarco (Lescaut); Gilles Ragon (Guillot); Nicolas Rivenq (Bretigny); José Van Dam (Count Des Grieux)

MORE ABOUT THE OPERA:

Generally, opera is considered a serious art form. By contrast, composer Jules Massenet has been described as a lightweight — and at times, it's easy to hear why. Even his wildly popular Manon, an opera with a deadly serious story, has plenty of froth.

But it's not only in the supposedly lofty world of opera that we find astonishingly successful and sophisticated composers with lightweight reputations. For another, we can look closer to home, at a legendary figure of American musical theater: Cole Porter.

Porter was a true Broadway genius, a brilliant lyricist and a first-rate composer — the creator of dozens of hit songs and shows. Was Porter a "lightweight"? Sure, plenty of his best-known songs do sound that way: "You're the Top" and "It's De-Lovely" don't pack much emotional wallop.  

Yet Porter did have a serious side. His classic song "Love for Sale" conjures up the gritty, workaday side of prostitution. The subject matter and its sophisticated, even disturbing tone are hardly the work of a lightweight songwriter.

Getting back to opera, the two-sided nature we hear in Cole Porter's familiar songs and shows can also be found in Massenet's Manon, an opera which touches on the same dramatic territory as Porter's "Love for Sale."

As the opera opens, its title character is an innocent 15-year-old – a kid whose amorous "inclinations" have prompted her mom and dad to ship her off to a convent; they believe she's "overly fond of pleasure."  At first, their decision seems a bit harsh.  By the time the opera is over, we might wonder if her parents were prescient.  To introduce the title character, Massenet gives us music representing Manon's beauty, and her innocence.  As the drama progresses, it has everything to do with her beauty, but less and less to do with innocence.

During her journey, Manon falls for a well-meaning young man of modest means, who adores her. Before long, though, it's clear that Manon has a taste for opulence as well as romance – and that she's not above cavorting with rich men she doesn't love in exchange for a luxurious lifestyle. Despite the frothy spots, Massenet's opera doesn't pull any punches, and he gave it all the complex, emotionally powerful music it needs to drive home some pointedly unsavory realities.

The two recordings we'll hear on At the Opera both feature sopranos who rank among the most distinguished interpreters of the title role. From 2001, it's a live recording from Paris, starring Renée Fleming. And, we'll hear Angela Gheorghiu as Manon in a 1999 recording from Brussels.

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