Massenet’s Manon
Saturday
@ 11:00 AM
April 08, 2012
Sunday
@ 2:00 PM
Act 1
Geraldine Farrar as Manon
The courtyard of an inn at Amiens
De Brétigny, a nobleman, has just arrived, in the company of Guillot, an aging rake who is the Minister of Finance, along with three flirtatious young actresses. While the innkeeper is serving dinner to the party, the townspeople collect to witness the arrival of the coach from Arras. Among them is Lescaut, a Guardsman, who tells his comrades that he plans to meet a kinswoman. The coach appears, and among the crowd Lescaut quickly identifies his fragile young cousin, Manon, who appears to be somewhat confused (Je suis encore tout étourdie) since this is her first journey, one which is taking her to the convent.
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 is undermined by the return of Lescaut, who then lectures the young woman (Regardez-moi bien dans les yeux) on the behavior proper. He leaves her unattended once more and she admires the fashionably dressed three actresses, but reproaches herself (Voyons, Manon), unconvincingly vowing to rid herself of all worldly visions.
Des Grieux, traveling home to see his father, catches sight of Manon, and instantly falls in love. When he approaches, she is charmed by his chivalrous address (Et je sais votre nom), and their exchange rapidly becomes a mutual avowal of love. Both their planned journeys, hers to the convent and des Grieux’s to his home, are swiftly abandoned, as they decide to flee together (Nous vivrons à Paris). But 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.
