Performance

"Manon Lescaut" was Puccini's first work to achieve full success, marking the beginning of the then 34-year-old composer's international career. Not even the fact that the same subject had been presented on the opera stage by Jules Massenet just nine years earlier, let alone earlier works by Halevy and Auber based on the novel by Prévost, could diminish the success of Puccini's opera. In "Manon Lescaut," Puccini's individual musical style, which had already begun to emerge in his earlier works, came to full fruition. The opera is characterized above all by its immense melodiousness, not only in the vocal parts but also in the orchestral motifs that underscore the action on stage, the originality of the harmonic language, and a unique approach to recitatives. It is vibrant in its stage action and exhibits a wide range of moods. By placing great demands on both musical and vocal performers, the work allows them to showcase their own skills while offering the audience an opportunity to experience opera at its highest level. "Manon Lescaut" has never been performed on the opera stage in Łódź, making this production a splendid opportunity to become acquainted with this outstanding musical masterpiece.