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PUCCINI: Manon Lescaut

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About this Recording

8.660019-20 - PUCCINI: Manon Lescaut

English

Giacomo Puccini (1858 – 1924)

Giacomo Puccini was born in Lucca in 1858 into a family with long-

established musical traditions extending back at least to the early

eighteenth century. It was natural that he should follow this tradition

and become a musician, and alter the death of his father, when the boy was

five, it was arranged that he should inherit the position of organist at

the church of S. Martino, which meanwhile would be held for him by his

uncle. He was trained as a chorister and as an organist, and only turned

to more ambitious composition at the age of seventeen. A performance of

Verdi's opera Aida in Pisa in 1876 inspired operatic aspirations, which

could only be pursued adequately at a major musical centre. Four years

later he was able to enter the conservatory in Milan, assisted financially

by an uncle and by a scholarship. There his teachers were Antonio Bazzini,

director of the conservatory from 1882 and now chiefly remembered by other

violinists for one attractive addition to their repertoire, and Amilcare

Ponchielli, then near the end of his career.

Puccini's first opera was Le Villi, an operatic treatment of a subject

better known nowadays from the ballet Giselle by Adam. It failed to win

the competition for which it had been entered, but won, instead, a

staging, through the agency of Boito, and publication by Ricordi, who

commissioned the opera Edgar, produced at La Scala in 1889 to relatively

little effect. It was in 1893 that Puccini won his first great success

with his version of the Abbe Prevost's novel Manon Lescaut, a work that

established him as a possible successor to Verdi. La Boheme followed in

1896, Tosca in 1900 and Madama Butterfly four years later. Puccini's last

opera, left unfinished at his death in 1924, was the oriental Turandot.

At the suggestion of the publisher Ricordi a possible opera with a Russian

setting had been suggested, alter the failure of Puccini's second opera

Edgar, with a libretto by Giacosa, co-author of the texts of three of the

later operas. This Puccini rejected in favour of a libretto to be devised

by Leoncavallo, not yet known as a composer, a text based on Abbe

Prevost's novel Manon Lescaut. Disagreement led to a scenario prepared by

Mario Praga, versified by Domenico Oliva, and after further disagreement

between the composer and writers Luigi Illica was commissioned to make

revisions. The question of authorship presented obvious problems, since

Ricordi and Puccini, Leoncavallo, Praga, Oliva, Illica and Giacosa had all

had a hand in the work and at the suggestion of the last named no author's

name appeared on the published libretto.

The Abbe Prevost, Antoine-Francois Prevost d'Exiles, was born in 1697 and

was by turns a Jesuit novice, a soldier, a Benedictine monk and a convert

to Protestantism. He was forced to seek exile from his native France in

1728 and lived until 1734 in England and Holland, undergoing a period of

imprisonment in the former country for alleged forgery. He was allowed to

return to France as a Benedictine monk and was briefly in the service of

the Prince de Conti as chaplain until compelled to escape abroad again

when he was accused of writing various satirical pamphlets. He returned to

France in 1742 and continued until his death in 1763 as a writer, leading

a life complicated by mistresses and by debt. His works included

translations of Richardson's novels Pamela and Clarissa Harlowe and the

seven volumes of Memoires et aventures d'un homme de qualite, written

during his early exile. In the seventh volume the gentleman of quality of

the title receives the confidences of the Chevalier des Grieux, a weak-

willed hero who resembles in many ways the author. This classical novel is

in its elevation of sensibility and in the strength of the passions

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depicted a precursor of Romanticism. It served as the inspiration of

earlier operas by Auber and by Massenet, the latter first staged in Paris

in 1884 and bearing the simple title Manon.

Puccini's version of Manon Lescaut was first mounted at the Teatro Regio

in Turin on 1st February 1893, the year and month of the first production

of Verdi's Falstaff in Milan. The opera proved an immediate success. It

was staged at Covent Garden and at the Grand Opera House of Philadelphia

the following year. There were subsequent revisions and temporary changes,

with alterations in orchestration suggested by Toscanini for performances

at the Metropolitan Opera in New York, these last incorporated in the

later published score. The libretto itself, effective enough, in spite of

its multiple authorship, offers certain problems, not least in the

omission of the original second act suggested by Praga and Oliva and set

in the Paris apartment of Des Grieux, although what has happened in the

interval between the present first and second acts is quickly apparent.

Synopsis

CD1

Act 1

The opera is set in the second half of the eighteenth century. The scene

is a large square in Amiens, near the Paris Gate. To the right there is an

avenue and to the left an inn, with a porch under which there are various

tables for customers. An outside staircase leads to the first floor of the

inn. Students, townsfolk, girls and soldiers stroll in the square and in

the avenue, while other groups stand chatting or sitting at the tables

drinking and gambling.

[1] Edmondo, a student, sings, half in jest, in praise of the evening,

interrupted by the other students. He welcomes the appearance of working-

girls and declares he will compose a song for them, echoed by his

companions. The girls enter the square, singing of the pleasure and pain

of evening, and now the students welcome Des Grieux, a fellow-student, and

Edmondo invites him to join them, and when he does not reply, suggests

that he is hopelessly in love. [2] Des Grieux, however, shrugs and claims

that he knows nothing of love, tragedy or comedy. Some of the students

chat with the girls, while others doubt the claim of Des Grieux,

suspecting disappointment in love. [3] Turning to the girls, he pretends

to seek love among them, to the amusement of his friends. [4] He is

congratulated by Edmondo and the other students, who, with the girls and

passers-by, join in celebrating the pleasures of the evening.

A postilion's horn is heard and a coach appears from the left. [5]

Everyone crowds round to see who is coming, as the coach comes to a halt

in front of the inn. First Lescaut descends, then Geronte, who gallantly

assists Manon down. The other travellers descend in their turn. Edmondo

and the students remark on Manon's beauty and Lescaut summons the

landlord, who welcomes Lescaut and Geronte and ushers them into the inn.

Lescaut signs to Manon to wait outside. The crowd disperses and some sit

drinking and gambling, [6]while Des Grieux, struck by Manon's beauty,

addresses her, asking her name. She tells him that she is Manon Lescaut

and that the next day she will leave, destined for a convent. Des Grieux,

fascinated by her beauty, plans to help her escape her fate. Called by her

brother, Manon goes inside, promising in the end that she will return

after dark to meet Des Grieux.

[7] Des Grieux sings in praise of the incomparable beauty of Manon and her

gentle innocence. [8] Edmondo and the other students have watched the pair

and now approach, ironically congratulating him, to the annoyance of Des

Grieux, who leaves them, as they chat with the girls, who echo the earlier

words of Des Grieux. Geronte and Lescaut come down the staircase, talking

together, and the latter reveals his true opinion of his family's decision

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to put Manon in a convent. He is interested to learn of the wealth of the

tax-farmer Geronte, and accepts the older man's invitation to dinner.

Geronte goes back into the inn, and Lescaut watches the young men gambling

and willingly agrees to join them. Geronte comes out and seeing Lescaut

thus occupied tells the landlord to have a coach and horses ready within

the hour behind the inn, for a man and a young girl to go to Paris. He

gives the landlord gold. [9] Edmondo has observed Geronte and guessed his

intentions. As Des Grieux comes in, Edmondo tells him what is being

plotted and agrees to help him outwit both Lescaut, who is absorbed in the

game, and Geronte.

[10]Manon appears on the staircase, looks round and, as she sees Des

Grieux, descends to meet him, although she knows it is unwise to be with

him, even if this should be their final meeting. Des Grieux declares his

love, to which she clearly responds. [11] Lescaut now rises from the

table, half drunk, and calls for more wine, which the students, acting on

Edmondo's earlier Intelligence, quickly see that he has, while Manon and

Des Grieux draw back. He now tells her of the abduction Geronte has

planned, and offers himself in the old man's place. Edmondo tells them

that the coach is ready, and Des Grieux urges Manon to escape with him.

Edmondo gives Des Grieux a cloak to hide his face and the three hurry into

the Inn, while Geronte emerges and, seeing Lescaut busy at the table,

looks satisfied with the way things are going. [12] Now, he thinks, the

moment for seduction has arrived, and he calls for supper, watched by

Edmondo and some of his friends, amused at what has transpired. Geronte

tells the landlord to bid Manon to supper, at which Edmondo steps forward

and tells him that Manon has gone. Geronte now tells Lescaut the news and

Insists on immediate pursuit. Lescaut, however, realizes that Des Grieux,

as a student, will soon run short of money. It will be time enough to

follow the pair to Paris the next day, when Geronte will have every chance

of success. Meanwhile they can eat.

Act II

The second act as originally proposed was set in the relatively modest

apartment of Des Grieux. Puccini's version of the opera takes this part of

the story for granted, and proceeds to a scene set in the elegant salon of

Geronte's house In Paris. At the back are two large French windows; at the

right rich curtains hide an alcove and to the left a richly-appointed

dressing-table stands near a window. The room is furnished with a sofa,

chairs, arm-chairs and a table. Manon is sitting at the dressing-table,

with a large white hairdresser's cape, while a hairdresser fusses round

her, assisted by two apprentices. [13] She gives orders to the

hairdresser, who hurries to do her bidding. Lescaut comes in, as Manon

tries to choose which beauty-patch to wear. Her toilet now completed, the

hairdresser removes the cape, revealing Manon richly clothed, and with his

assistants leaves the room. Lescaut applauds her appearance and reminds

her how he had saved her from life with an impoverished student, although

Des Grieux was a good fellow. Manon, who had left her lover without even a

farewell kiss, is anxious for news of him. [14] In all her finery, she

misses the simpler life with her young lover. [15] Lescaut tells her that

Des Grieux has now turned to gambling, with his help; and has made money,

the way to Manon's heart. She remembers her former life with her lover,

while from time to time admiring herself in the glass, asking Lescaut if

he approves of her appearance. [16] People enter, carrying sheets of

music, ready to perform a madrigal by Geronte. [17] Manon gives her

brother a purse, bidding him pay the musicians off. Friends of Geronte can

be seen through the French windows entering the house to be received by

their host, and now a quartet of musicians come in and start to tune their

instruments, but Manon is bored. She stands up and goes back to meet

Geronte, who comes into the room with a dancing-master to start a lesson

in the minuet. [18] Admired by Geronte and his guests, gentlemen and

priests, Manon dances, instructed by the dancing-master. The lesson over,

Geronte suggests that it is time to go out. The dancing-master and

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musicians go out, as the guests too take their leave and Geronte goes to

order a sedan-chair. [19] Manon takes up a

hand-mirror and admires herself. Hearing someone approach, she asks if the

chair is ready, but it is Des Grieux who enters. She asks if he can still

love her, but he remains bitter at her faithlessness, while she begs his

forgiveness, as their old love lives again and she falls into his arms.

CD2

[1] At this point Geronte comes in and addresses the couple ironically,

reproaching Manon for her ingratitude. She hands him her mirror and tells

him to look at himself. He is deeply offended and goes out, threatening

that they will meet again soon. [2] Des Grieux urges Manon to escape with

him at once, but she hesitates, reluctant to leave the luxury in which she

has lived with Geronte, while he laments his own degradation as a gambler.

Manon again seeks forgiveness and swears to be true to her young lover.

[3] Lescaut hurries in breathlessly and tells them that Geronte has

denounced Manon and that constables are on the way to seize her. There is

no time to be lost, but Manon is anxious to take her jewels with her,

while Des Grieux urges haste. Lescaut in desperation pushes the pair into

the alcove, but Manon runs out again, as the constables enter, followed by

Geronte with soldiers. He laughs at her, as she drops some of her jewels,

and Lescaut prudently takes the sword of Des Grieux, preventing him from

arrest and holding him back, as the constables drag Manon away.

[4] Intermezzo covers the journey of the imprisoned Manon to Le Havre,

where she is to be transported, condemned, the music reflecting the

despair of Des Grieux, who has done all he can to secure her release.

Act III

The scene is set in a square near the harbour in Le Havre, the harbour

itself can be seen in the background and at the left a corner of the

barracks. At the front is a barred window and to the side, facing the

square, a closed gate, guarded by a sentry. Part of a war-ship can be seen

in the harbour and to the right a house and a narrow street. On the corner

an oil-lamp flickers. Dawn is breaking. [5] Des Grieux and Lescaut are

watching, the latter claiming that he has bribed the sentry and that Manon

will soon be free. A sergeant leads a group of soldiers out, as the guard

changes, and Lescaut points out the man he has bribed. He signals to the

man, who goes away and then taps on the iron bars of the ground-floor

window, as Des Grieux watches anxiously. Manon appears and Des Grieux

seizes her hand, while Lescaut leaves the couple together. [6] A lamp-

lighter comes in, singing his song, while Des Grieux tells Manon how her

escape has been planned and what she must do. She throws him a kiss and

retires from the window. A shot is heard in the distance and Des Grieux,

startled, runs to the narrow street. [7] Voices are heard raising the

alarm, and Lescaut rushes in, exhorting Des Grieux to save himself.

Lescaut seeks to restrain Des Grieux, who has drawn his sword, and Manon

too, coming to the window, tells him to make his escape. People come

running from all sides, asking each other what has happened. There is a

roll of drums and the door of the barracks opens. A sergeant and soldiers

come out, and with them a group of chained women. They stop in front of

the gate. The sergeant orders the crowd back and from the ship in the

harbour come the captain and a group of marines. [8] The sergeant now

calls the roll of prisoners, and as each one is called, she moves to join

the marines, while the captain marks the name off on his list. Lescaut

endeavours to arouse the sympathy of the watching townspeople for Manon,

seduced and betrayed by an old man, who took her from her young lover. Des

Grieux manages to stand near Manon and their hands meet. She bids him

farewill, to his despair. [9] The sergeant orders the women and their

guards away and pulls Manon away from Des Grieux, who threatens him, with

the approval of the onlookers. He breaks down in tears and begs the

captain, who has intervened, to allow him to sail with his beloved Manon,

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even as a cabin boy. The prisoners have now been taken onto the ship and

the captain, moved by the pleas of Des Grieux, grants his request. Des

Grieux, in joy, kisses his hand, while Manon turns and, guessing what has

happened, shows her own delight. She opens her arms to him, as Des Grieux

runs to her. Lescaut shakes his head and walks away.

Act IV

The final act is set in America. The scene is an endless plain on the

borders of New Orleans. The country is bare and undulating, the horizon

far distant. Clouds cover the sky, as evening falls. Manon and Des Grieux

come slowly forward. They are poorly dressed and seem tired out. Manon is

pale and exhausted and leans on Des Grieux who wearily supports her. [9]

He tells her to lean all her weight on him, as the road comes to an end,

but she can go no further. [11] She faints and Des Grieux tries

desperately to revive her. [12] Coming to, she tells him to leave her and

seek help and laying her on rising ground, but still in doubt and despair,

he resolves to do what he can to bring help, even in this wilderness. [13]

Alone, Manon realises death is near. [14] Des Grieux returns and she falls

into his arms, assuring him again and again of her love. Her faults will

be forgotten but her love will never die, she tells him, her last words,

leaving Des Grieux to fall grief-stricken on her body.

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