Manon

Origins and Music

Manon was created by choreographer Kenneth MacMillan for The Royal Ballet in 1974. The ballet is set to music by Jules Massenet, though interestingly, it doesn't use the score from Massenet's opera "Manon." Instead, MacMillan and music arranger Leighton Lucas selected various pieces from Massenet's other works, creating a score that perfectly suits the dramatic narrative. This innovative approach of assembling a ballet score from different works was relatively unusual at the time.

The ballet was partly inspired by MacMillan's interest in complex female characters and his desire to create roles that would challenge dancers both technically and dramatically. He drew inspiration from the 1731 novel "L'Histoire du Chevalier des Grieux et de Manon Lescaut" by Abbé Prévost, the same source material that inspired Puccini's opera "Manon Lescaut" and Massenet's "Manon."

The Story

Act I

Scene 1 - The Courtyard of an Inn near Paris

The story opens in a bustling courtyard where we meet Lescaut, who is supposed to be escorting his sister Manon to a convent. In this vibrant setting, we see various characters including actresses, prostitutes, and their wealthy clients. Manon arrives, young and innocent, immediately catching everyone's attention. Here she meets Des Grieux, a young student, and they fall instantly in love. Meanwhile, Lescaut is negotiating with Monsieur GM, effectively offering his sister's companionship for money. While this transaction occurs, Manon and Des Grieux elope to Paris, leaving both Lescaut and Monsieur GM furious.

Scene 2 - Des Grieux's Lodgings in Paris

In their humble Paris apartment, Manon and Des Grieux live in romantic poverty. The young lovers' idyll is interrupted by Lescaut and Monsieur GM, who have tracked them down. Lescaut, playing on his sister's evident fascination with GM's displays of wealth, convinces Manon that she could have both love and luxury. This scene ends with Manon's first step toward her eventual downfall - she leaves with her brother, already seduced by the promise of riches.

Act II

Scene 1 - The Hotel Particulier

This scene shows Manon in her new life as Monsieur GM's mistress, surrounded by luxury and admirers. Des Grieux appears, brought by Lescaut who has promised to arrange a meeting between the lovers. Manon is caught between her love for Des Grieux and her new lifestyle. The scene culminates in a passionate reunion between Manon and Des Grieux, but they are discovered by Monsieur GM.

Scene 2 - The Gaming House

In an attempt to win enough money to keep Manon in the lifestyle she desires, Des Grieux is convinced to gamble with Monsieur GM. The scene is tense with high stakes gambling, drinking, and mounting danger. Des Grieux wins through cheating orchestrated by Lescaut, but GM discovers the deception. In the ensuing chaos, Monsieur GM has Manon arrested as a prostitute.

Act III

Scene 1 - The Port

This scene takes place at the port where convicted prostitutes are being deported to Louisiana. It's a horrifying spectacle where the women are abused and degraded. Manon, among them, is at her lowest point. Des Grieux begs to be allowed to accompany her to America, and the gaoler eventually agrees after being bribed.

Scene 2 - The Louisiana Swamps

The final scene is both beautiful and tragic. In the hostile swampland, Manon and Des Grieux are fugitives. Exhausted and delirious, Manon is unable to go on. The ballet culminates in a heartbreaking pas de deux where Manon, in her final moments, realizes that Des Grieux's love was the only real thing in her life. She dies in his arms, her pursuit of wealth having led to her destruction.

Key Dance Sequences

• The First Meeting Pas de Deux: This dance captures the innocent passion of first love, with lifts that seem to defy gravity, representing their soaring emotions.
• The Bedroom Pas de Deux: One of the most famous passages in the ballet, this intimate duet shows both the physical and emotional connection between the lovers at their most pure and hopeful.
• The Brothel Scene: This scene requires the ballerina to show Manon's transformation into a courtesan, with choreography that is both technically demanding and dramatically complex.
• The Gambling Scene Pas de Trois: A complex dance between Manon, Des Grieux, and Monsieur GM, showing the tension and power dynamics between the characters.
• The Final Pas de Deux: This devastating finale is one of ballet's most challenging and emotionally draining sequences, showing Manon's final moments and realization.

Dramatic Themes

The story's power lies in its moral ambiguity - Manon is neither pure heroine nor mere opportunist. Her choices, while morally questionable, are understandable given her circumstances and the limited options available to women of her time. This complexity, combined with MacMillan's psychologically insightful choreography, makes Manon one of ballet's most compelling dramatic roles.

Key themes include:

• Innocence vs. Corruption
• Love vs. Material Wealth
• Loyalty vs. Betrayal
• Freedom vs. Constraint
• Passion vs. Survival

Impact on Dance and Cultural Significance

Manon represents a significant shift in classical ballet storytelling. MacMillan's choreography broke new ground by combining classical ballet technique with raw, realistic emotional expression. The ballet is particularly notable for its complex pas de deux sequences, which push the boundaries of classical partner work while maintaining intense dramatic narrative.

The role of Manon has become one of the most coveted in the ballet repertoire, requiring both technical excellence and superior acting abilities. The character's journey from innocence to worldliness, and her internal struggle between love and materialism, provides dancers with exceptional dramatic opportunities.

The ballet has influenced subsequent choreographers by demonstrating how classical ballet could tackle mature, morally complex themes while maintaining technical brilliance, and showing how historical stories could be made relevant to contemporary audiences through psychological depth.

Manon has remained in continuous performance since its premiere and has been adopted into the repertoire of many major ballet companies worldwide. Its enduring popularity speaks to both its artistic excellence and its exploration of timeless themes: the conflict between love and material wealth, the price of choices, and the complexity of human desire.

In the broader context of performing arts, Manon stands as an example of successful adaptation across art forms, showing how a literary work can be transformed into compelling dance drama without losing its essential emotional and narrative power.