Manon Is Feb. 15, 2020, Met Opera Saturday Matinee Broadcast

Summary: Massenet’s Manon is the Feb. 15, 2020, Met Opera Saturday matinee broadcast, airing as 11th in the season’s 23 radio matinees.

Massenet’s Manon (Lisette Oropesa, center) seems enticed by la Belle Époque’s la gaîté parisienne (Parisian gaiety) but her love for Chevalier des Grieux ultimately attracts her more than frivolous luxuries in the 2019-2020 Met Opera season’s revival of Laurent Pelly’s 2011-2012 new production: The Metropolitan Opera @MetOpera, via Facebook Sept. 18, 2019 at 9:08 AM

Jules Massenet’s Manon is the Feb. 15, 2020, Met Opera Saturday matinee broadcast, airing at 1 p.m. Eastern Standard Time (EST) and numbering as the 11th of 23 scheduled Saturday radio matinees during the 2019-2020 Met Opera season.

French Romantic Era composer Jules Massenet (May 12, 1842-Aug. 13, 1912) set his musical score for Manon to a French libretto co-written by French dramatist and opera librettist Henri Meilhac (Feb. 23, 1830-July 6, 1897) and French journalist and opera librettist Philippe Émile François Gille (Dec. 10, 1831-March 19, 1901). Milhac and Gille based their libretto upon L’Histoire du Chevalier des Grieux et de Manon Lescaut, a memoir novel (roman-mémoires) published in 1753 by French Jesuit historian and novelist Antoine François Prévost d'Exiles (April 1, 1697-Dec. 23, 1763), known as Abbé Prévost. The first-person novel comprised the seventh and final volume of Mémoires et Aventures d’un Homme de Qualité (Memoirs and Adventures of a Man of Quality).

Massenet’s Manon premiered Jan. 19, 1884, at the Opéra-Comique in Paris, France. Manon was performed in the second of three houses, all same-named as Salle Favart and all built on the same site, Place Boïeldieu, in the 2nd arrondissment (IIe arrondissement) for the opera company. On May 25, 1887, approximately 3 years 4 and one-half months after Manon’s premiere, a fire destroyed the second Salle Favart.

The Metropolitan Opera premiered Manon on Jan. 16, 1895. Manon received nine performances during the 1894-1895 season.

The 2019-2020 offers seven performances of Manon. The season premiere took place Tuesday, Sept. 24, 2019, at 7:30 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time (EDT). The month’s second performance happened Saturday, Sept. 28, at 12:30 p.m.

Five performances occurred in October. The month’s performances took place Wednesday, Oct. 2, at 7:30 p.m.; Saturday, Oct. 5, at 8 p.m.; Saturday, Oct. 19, at 8 p.m.; Tuesday, Oct. 22, at 7:30 p.m.; and Saturday, Oct. 26, at 1 p.m.

Maurizio Benini conducts all performances. The Italian conductor made his Metropolitan Opera debut Jan. 19, 1998, in the opera house’s 231st performance of L’Elisir d’Amore by 19th century Italian bel canto opera composer Gaetano Donizetti (Nov. 29, 1797-April 8, 1848). In the 2019-2020 Met Opera season, Maurizio Benini also conducts Donizetti’s Maria Stuarda.

Lisette Oropesa appears in all performances in the title role of Manon Lescaut, a young beauty who learns, too late, to favor true love over fleeting luxuries. The Cuban-American operatic soprano made her Metropolitan Opera debut Sept. 28, 2006, as a Woman of Crete in the opera house’s 60th performance of Idomeneo by Classical Era composer Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (Jan. 27, 1756-Dec. 5, 1791). During the 2019-2020 Met Opera season, Lisette Oropesa also performs the title role of Violetta Valéry in La Traviata by 19th-century Italian opera composer Giuseppe Verdi (Oct. 10, 1813-Jan. 27, 1901).

Michael Fabiano sings opposite Lisette Oropesa as Chevalier des Grieux, whose unwavering love transforms Manon from flighty to serious. The American operatic tenor made his Metropolitan Opera debut Jan. 11, 2010, as Raffaele in the opera house’s 18th performance of Verdi’s Stiffelio.

Carlo Bosi appears as Guillot de Morfontaine, who exacts vengeance upon both Manon and des Grieux for Manon’s rejection of him. The Italian tenor made his Metropolitan Opera debut Dec. 6, 2013, as Dr. Cajus in the opera house’s 176th performance of Verdi’s Falstaff. In the 2019-2020 Met Opera season, Carlo Bosi also appears as Emperor Altoum in Turandot by Italian opera composer Giacomo Puccini (Dec. 22, 1858-Nov. 29, 1924) and in the New Year’s Eve Gala.

Artur Ruciński appears as Lescaut, Manon's unscrupulous gambler of a cousin. The Polish baritone made his Metropolitan Opera debut Feb. 19, 2016, as Sharpless in the opera house’s 857th performance of Puccini’s Madama Butterfly. During the 2019-2020 Met Opera season, Artur Ruciński also appears as Marcello in Puccini’s La Bohème.

Brett Polegato appears as de Brétigny, a nobleman who lures Manon into a life of luxury with him but loses her when she overhears des Grieux’s father tell de Brétigny of his son’s plans to become a priest. The Canadian-Italian operatic baritone made his Metropolitan Opera debut Tuesday, Sept. 24, 2019, in the 2019-2020 season premiere of Manon.

Kwangchul Youn appears as Comte des Grieux, who disrupted his son’s love affair with Manon by having him kidnapped. The South Korean operatic bass made his Metropolitan Opera debut Oct. 8, 2004, as Sarastro in the opera house’s 343rd performance of Mozart’s Die Zauberflöte.

The 2019-2020 Met Opera season’s performances of Massenet’s Manon revive Laurent Pelly’s new staging, which debuted March 26, 2012. Massenet set Manon in the 18th century, during the reign of Louis XV (Feb. 15, 1710-May 10, 1774), who was known as le Bien-Aimé (Louis the Beloved). Pelly places his production in the late 19th century’s la Belle Époque.

The French opera and theatre director also is credited as the production’s costume designer. His production team comprises Christian Räth, associate director; Chantal Thomas, set designer; Joël Adam, lighting designer; and Lionel Hoche, choreographer.

The takeaway for Manon as the Feb. 15, 2020, Met Opera Saturday matinee broadcast is that Jules Massenet’s opera about ill-fated, romanticizing Manon airs at 1 p.m. Eastern Standard Time and numbers as the 11th of 23 Saturday matinees broadcast weekly through Saturday, May 9, 2020.

Set to be deported to America, Manon (Lisette Oropesa) is able instead to die, forgiven and greatly loved, in the arms of her faithful love, Chevalier des Grieux (Michael Fabiano), in the 2019-2020 Met Opera season’s revival of Laurent Pelly’s staging of Jules Massenet’s Manon: The Metropolitan Opera @MetOpera, via Facebook Sept. 18, 2019, at 9:06 AM

Acknowledgment

My special thanks to talented artists and photographers/concerned organizations who make their fine images available on the internet.

Image credits:

Massenet’s Manon (Lisette Oropesa, center) seems enticed by la Belle Époque’s la gaîté parisienne (Parisian gaiety) but her love for Chevalier des Grieux ultimately attracts her more than frivolous luxuries in the 2019-2020 Met Opera season’s revival of Laurent Pelly’s 2011-2012 new production: The Metropolitan Opera @MetOpera, via Facebook Sept. 18, 2019 at 9:08 AM, @ https://www.facebook.com/MetOpera/photos/a.134969600532/10162469457740533/

Set to be deported to America, Manon (Lisette Oropesa) is able instead to die, forgiven and greatly loved, in the arms of her faithful love, Chevalier des Grieux (Michael Fabiano), in the 2019-2020 Met Opera season’s revival of Laurent Pelly’s staging of Jules Massenet’s Manon: The Metropolitan Opera, @MetOpera via Facebook Sept. 18, 2019, at 9:06 AM, @ https://www.facebook.com/MetOpera/photos/a.134969600532/10162469458560533/

For further information:

“Debut: Maurizio Benini.” MetOpera Database > [Met Performance] CID: 330354 L’Elisir d’Amore {231} Matinee ed. Metropolitan Opera House: 01/19/1998.
Available @ http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=BibSpeed/fullcit.w?xCID=330354

“Debut: Michael Fabiano.” MetOpera Database > [Met Performance] CID: 353294 Stiffelio {18} Metropolitan Opera House: 01/11/2010.
Available @ http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=BibSpeed/fullcit.w?xCID=353294

“Debuts: Karel Mark Chichon, Artur Rucinski.” MetOpera Database > [Met Performance] CID: 356328 Madama Butterfly {857} Metropolitan Opera House: 02/19/2016.
Available @ http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=BibSpeed/fullcit.w?xCID=356328

“Debuts: Lisette Oropesa, Jeffrey Francis, Simon O’Neill.” MetOpera Database > [Met Performance] CID:351557 Idomeneo {60} Metropolitan Opera House: 09/28/2006.
Available @ http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=BibSpeed/fullcit.w?xCID=351557

“Debuts: L’ubica Vargicová, Volker Vogel, Kwangchul Youn . . .” MetOpera Database > [Met Performance] CID: 351036 Die Zauberflöte {343} Metropolitan Opera House: 10/08/2004.
Available @ http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=BibSpeed/fullcit.w?xCID=351036

“Debuts: Peter Van Praet, Paolo Fanale, Carlo Bosi, Christian Van Horn.” MetOpera Database > [Met Performance] CID: 355173 Falstaff {176} Metropolitan Opera House: 12/06/2013.
Available @ http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=BibSpeed/fullcit.w?xCID=355173a

Marriner, Derdriu. “2019-2020 Met Opera Season Opens Monday, Sept. 23, With Porgy and Bess.” Earth and Space News. Monday, Sept. 16, 2019.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2019/09/2019-2020-met-opera-season-opens-monday.html

Marriner, Derdriu. “2019-2020 Met Opera Season’s Fifth Week Has Gluck, Massenet and Puccini.” Earth and Space News. Monday, Oct. 14, 2019.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2019/10/2019-2020-met-opera-seasons-fifth-week.html

Marriner, Derdriu. “2019-2020 Met Opera Season’s Fourth Week Has Gershwin, Massenet and Puccini.” Earth and Space News. Monday, Oct. 7, 2019.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2019/10/2019-2020-met-opera-seasons-fourth-week.html

Marriner, Derdriu. “2019-2020 Met Opera’s Second Week Has Gershwin, Massenet, Puccini, Verdi.” Earth and Space News. Monday, Sept. 23, 2019.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2019/09/2019-2020-met-operas-second-week-has.html

Marriner, Derdriu. “Manon Lescaut Is the Dec. 3, 2016, Metropolitan Opera Saturday Matinee Broadcast.” Earth and Space News. Monday, Nov. 28, 2016.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2016/11/manon-lescaut-is-dec-3-2016.html

The Metropolitan Opera @MetOpera. “With only five days left until the start of the 2019–20 season, rehearsals for Laurent Pelly’s stunning production of Massenet’s Manon, set in Paris during the Belle Époque, continue on stage this week. Don’t miss star soprano Lisette Oropesa in the enchanting title role, opposite tenor Michael Fabiano as her passionate lover. Performances begin September 24. On stage through October 26: bit.ly/2ml4MNx Live in HD on October 26: bit.ly/2lUegPt Photo by Marty Sohl / Met Opera.” Facebook. Sept. 18, 2019, at 9:06 AM.
Available @ https://www.facebook.com/MetOpera/photos/a.134969600532/10162469458560533/

The Metropolitan Opera @MetOpera. “With only five days left until the start of the 2019–20 season, rehearsals for Laurent Pelly’s stunning production of Massenet’s Manon, set in Paris during the Belle Époque, continue on stage this week. Don’t miss star soprano Lisette Oropesa in the enchanting title role, opposite tenor Michael Fabiano as her passionate lover. Performances begin September 24. On stage through October 26: bit.ly/2ml4MNx Live in HD on October 26: bit.ly/2lUegPt Photo by Marty Sohl / Met Opera.” Facebook. Sept. 18, 2019 at 9:08 AM.
Available @ https://www.facebook.com/MetOpera/photos/a.134969600532/10162469457740533/

“Metropolitan Opera Premiere: Manon.” MetOpera Database > [Met Performance] CID: 13960 Metropolitan Opera Premiere Manon {1} Metropolitan Opera House: 01/16/1895.
Available @ http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=BibSpeed/fullcit.w?xCID=13960

“New Production: Manon.” MetOpera Database > [Met Performance] CID: 354438 New Production Manon {258} Metropolitan Opera House: 03/26/2012.
Available @ http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=BibSpeed/fullcit.w?xCID=354438

Prévost, Abbé. Manon Lescaut. Illustrations de Conconi, Marold et Rossi. Paris, France: E. Dentu, MDCCCXCII (1892).
Available via Internet Archive @ https://archive.org/stream/manonlescautparl00pruoft