Manon - Royal Ballet and Opera

Manon - Royal Ballet and Opera photos

Manon - Royal Ballet and Opera description

Manon at the Royal Opera House is a ballet of devastating emotional power and extraordinary beauty. Kenneth MacMillan's choreographic adaptation of Abbé Prévost's novel Manon Lescaut follows the fateful journey of the young and alluring Manon, whose desire for wealth and luxury sets her on a collision course with the love she shares with the devoted Des Grieux. From the crowded streets of Paris to the dissolute wealth of Madame's house, and finally to the desolation of deportation and exile, MacMillan charts their ruin with unflinching psychological clarity and a choreographic language of breathtaking expressiveness. The score, drawn from the music of Jules Massenet, weaves a spell of yearning and tragic inevitability.

MacMillan, who served as Artistic Director of the Royal Ballet and whose ballets Romeo and Juliet and Mayerling are among the company's most cherished works, created Manon in 1974 — and it has lost none of its power in the half-century since its premiere. The Royal Ballet's dancers bring to it the full depth of the company's storytelling tradition, making every gesture count. For sheer dramatic intensity and choreographic invention, there are few evenings in theatre to rival Manon.

Playing at Royal Opera House (venue info)

Performance Times for Manon - Royal Ballet and Opera