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Opera Music Plot Synopsis
Massenet: Manon
Time: the reign of Louis XV
ACT I
The bustling courtyard of an inn at Amiens. De Brétigny,
a nobleman, has just
arrived, in the company of Guillot, an aging rake (he is the
Minister of
Finance), and three flirtatious young actresses, Poussette,
Javotte and Rosette.
While the obsequious innkeeper is serving this party with
his best dinner, the
townspeople collect to witness the arrival of the coach from
Arras, among them
Lescaut, a Guardsman, here, he informs his comrades, to meet
a kinswoman.
Shortly, the coach appears, and among the crowd he quickly
identifies his
pretty, fragile young cousin, Manon, who asks pardon for her
bewilderment (Je
suis toujours tout étourdie); this is, after all, her
very first journey -- one
which is taking her to the convent.
Left alone for a moment, Manon is accosted by the opportunistic
Guillot, who
tells her he has a carriage waiting, in which they can leave
together. His
heavy-handed seduction, however, to derision from the three
young actresses, is
routed by the return of Lescaut, who thenm subjects his cousin
to a lecture
(Regardez-moi bien dans les yeux) on the behavior proper to
a demure young
member of the Lescaut family. Drawn by the prospect of some
gambling with his
friends, he nevertheless leaves her unattended once more.
Alone, she reflects
admiringly on the fashionably decked attractions of the three
actresses, but
reproaches herself (Voyons, Manon), unconvincingly vowing
to rid herself of all
worldly visions.
A romantically inclined young chevalier, des Grieux, on a
journey home for
reunion with his father, catches sight of Manon, and is instantly
in love; when
he approaches she is at once charmed by his chivalrous address
(Et je sais votre
nom), and their exchange rapidly becomes a mutual avowal of
love. Both their
projected journeys, hers to the convent, des Grieux's to his
home, are swiftly
abandoned, as they decide to flee together (Nous vivrons à
Paris), but already
there are hints of incompatible aspirations: while he returns,
over and again,
to ``tous les deux'' (together), the phrase she repeatedly
fondles is ``à
Paris.'' Making good use of the carriage provided by the disappointed
Guillot,
the lovers escape.
ACT II
Paris, the apartment of Manon and des Grieux ; he, without
much hope, is writing
a letter to his father, imploring permission to marry her.
There is a knock at
the door, and Lescaut enters, intent on creating a scene.
His concern for
offended family honor is, however, only camouflage for his
new and remunerative
alliance with de Brétigny, who has accompanied him,
masquerading as a
fellow-Guardsman. While, to prove his honorable intentions,
des Grieux is
showing Lescaut the letter to his father, . confidentially
warns Manon that
tonight des Grieux, on the orders of his father, will be seized
and carried off,
but points out that, protected by the de Brétigny position
and wealth, she can
move on to a glittering future.
After the two visitors deaprt, Manon appears to vacillate
between the prospect
and warning des Grieux, but when her lover goes out to post
his letter, her
touching farewell to the humble domesticity she has shared
(Adieu, notre petite
table) makes clear she has decided to go with de Brétigny.
Returning, unaware of
any change, des Grieux raptly conveys his more modest vision
of their future
happiness (En fermant les yeux, the once-famous `Dream Song').
Going outside to
investigate an apparent disturbance, he is indeed seized and
hustled away,
leaving Manon to voice her regrets.
ACT III
Scene One
Paris, the promenade of the Cours-la-Reine on a feast-day.
Among the throng of
holiday-makers and vendors of all kinds, Guillot appears,
still frantically
flirting with the young actresse, and Lescaut, hymning the
pleasures of gambling
(Pourquoi bon l'économie?). Shortly de Brétigny
arrives, soon joined by Manon,
now sumptuously dressed and with a retinue of admirers; she
performs a little
song about her new eminence (Je marche sur tous les chemins),
followed by a
sprightly gavotte (Obéissons quand leur voix appelle)
on the joys of love and
youth.
Des Grieux's father, the comte, greets de Brétigny,
and Manon overhears that his
former lover is ``Chevalier'' no longer, but `Abbé,''
having entered the
seminary of Saint-Sulpice. Approaching the comte, Manon confirms
the news, and
tries to dicover whether his son still loves her. The ballet
follows, but Manon,
seized by the desire to see des Grieux once more, hurries
off to Saint-Sulpice.
Scene Two
Saint-Sulpice. From the chapel, a fashionable congregation
is dispersing,
enthusiastic over the sermon of the new abbé (Quelle
éloquence!). Des Grieux
enters, in clerical garb, and his father adds his voice to
the chorus of praise,
but tries to dissuade his son from this new life, so that
he can perpetuate the
family name (Epouse quelque brave fille).
Having failed to shake his son's resolve, he withdraws, and
des Grieux, alone,
wrestles against his tenacious memories of Manon (Ah! Fuyez,
douce image). As he
prays, Manon herself appears, to implore his forgiveness for
her treachery.
Furiously, he attempts to reject her, but when (in the deliciously
serpentine
N'est-ce plus ma main?) she recalls their past intimacies,
his resistance is
overcome, and their voices join in an impassioned avowal of
love.
ACT IV
A gaming salon at the Hôtel de Transylvanie. Lescaut
and Guillot are among the
gamblers, and the three young actresses are prepared to attach
themselves to any
winner. Manon arrives with des Grieux; no longer with any
illusions as to her
character (Manon! Manon! Sphinx étonnant) he admits
his helpless thralldom, and
allows himself to be persuaded to gamble, in hopes of gaining
the wealth she
craves. He plays at cards with Guillot and wins, winning each
time when Guillot
doubles and redoubls the wager. As Manon exults, Guillot accuses
des Grieux of
cheating. Des Grieux hotly denies the charge; Guillot leaves,
but shortly
returns with the police, to whom he denounces des Grieux as
a cheat and Manon as
dissolute.
The elder des Grieux comes on the scene, and tells his son
that while he will
intercede in his behalf, he will do nothing to save Manon.
In a big ensemble,
with Guillot exulting over his revenge, Manon lamenting the
end of all joy, des
Grieux swearing to defend her and the rest expressing consternation
and horror,
the arrested pair are led away.
ACT V
(Act IV, scene two in the original version)
A desolate spot near the road to Le Havre. Des Grieux, freed
by his father's
intervention, and a penitent Lescaut, now his ally, wait to
waylay the convoy in
which Manon, with other convicts, is being marched to the
port for
transportation as a woman of ill-fame. A detachment of soldiers
arrives with
their prisoners; the would-be rescuers recognize the hopelessness
of attacking
so strong an escort, but Lescaut succeeds in bribing their
sergeant to all Manon
to stay here till evening. The convoy moves on, and a sick
and exhausted Manon
falls to the ground at des Grieux's feet.
In his arms, near delirium, she recapitulates the scenes --
and the melodies --
of former happiness. Des Grieux tells her the past can yet
be reborn, but Manon,
calm now, knows it is too late; with the words ``Et c'est
là l'histoire de Manon
Lescaut,'' she dies.
contributed by Edwin Ahearn; © 2003
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