Manon Lescaut

by Giacomo Puccini

Puccini's first great operatic success, and still a repertoire favorite, relating the story of a young girl who casts aside her first love for prospects of a life of luxury, a move that ultimately proves disastrous. Authoritative Italian edition.

Genres: Italy, Italian Literature, Music

496 pages, Paperback

First published February 1, 1893

About the author

An Italian composer, son of Michele Puccini and fifth in a line of composers from Lucca. After studying music with his uncle, Fortunato Magi, and with the director of the Insituto Musicale Pacini, Carlo Angeloni, he started his career at the age of fourteen as an organist of St. Martino and St. Michele, Lucca, and at other local churches. However, a performance of Verdi's Aida at Pisa in 1876 made such an impression on him he decided to become an opera composer. With a scholarship and financial support from an uncle, he was able to enter the Milan Conservatory in 1880. During his three years there, his chief teachers were Bazzini and Ponchielli.

Punccini's best known operas are: Le villi (1884), Edgar (1889), Manon Lescaut (1893), La Bohème (1896), Tosca (1900), Madama Butterfly (1904), La fanciulla del West (1910), La rondine (1917), "Il trittico" and Turandot (1926).

During the composition of Turandot, he was diagnosed with throat cancer, and died after receiving treatment in Brussles. Turandot, was left unfinished, but was completed by Franco Alfano.

Reviews

[Bern]

My encounter with Manon Lescaut is a bit odd. Years and years ago while listening to the classical music station in the midst of the broadcast (or maybe towards the end) and only knowing just simple plot of the opera, I simply could guess which opera it was (to admit, with tears in my eyes). That's how my love for Manon Lescaut began. Afterwards, I got my first Manon recording by Callas and di Stefano. This was followed by many other recordings and deep exploration about the opera. Puccini's libretto might have some gaps compared to the original novel by Prevost and this might depend on the number of co-writers of the libretto (eight people including the composer himself :) ). Still, I am touched by the whole opera and its heroine. That's why I am recently working on an article about this masterpiece.

[Recensioni in tre parole]

Emotivo. Caldo. Inesorabile.