The Washington National Opera’s brilliant revival of “Manon Lescaut” demonstrates that as early as 1893, when Giacomo Puccini was writing this, his first popular work, he knew well how to use music to ...

It's set in early 18th Century France—and Louisiana. Puccini felt that he could bring true Italian passion to the tale, and indeed he did. Though it’s an early work, it contains much of the rich, ...

Coursing through the work was one basic idea: the helter-skelter philosophy of the diagonal, of the slide, of the see-saw. Everyone in Manon is rising or falling. It dictates Chantal Thomas's simple, ...

First impressions are important, but they shouldn't lead to snap judgment. It is usually wiser to stop and think, but in the world of opera – especially Puccini – lovers tend to fall in love at first ...

Kristine Opolais in Act 2 of ‘Manon Lescaut’ (all photos by Ken Howard, courtesy Metropolitan Opera) (click to enlarge) The Met’s new production of Puccini’s Manon Lescaut, directed by Richard Eyre, ...

Soprano Patricia Racette is the greatest advertisement for Puccini’s heroines. His operas dominate her resume, and no wonder. She owns a voice that gravitates to his expansive Italian lines and ...

If Puccini knew one thing, it’s that nobody got rich by underestimating the public appetite for sex and seediness. In order to make his mark on the operatic world he took the bold decision to ...

New York's Heartbeat Opera has announced an extension of the run of MANON!, a musical theater revamp of the iconic story of love, glamour, and reinvention. Five performances have been added, with a ...

However, it has be said that Jude Christian’s production seriously misfires. Often crass and crude, strewn with farcical, pointless bits of business and dressed in a repulsive palette of ...

Powerful soprano Sonya Yoncheva takes on Puccini’s fiery and defiant heroine in Sir Richard Eyre’s grand production. Leading tenor Marcelo Álvarez is Chevalier des Grieux, who pursues Manon beyond the ...

TimesMachine is an exclusive benefit for home delivery and digital subscribers. About the Archive This is a digitized version of an article from The Times’s print archive, before the start of online ...

In the mood for 'MANON LESCAUT Puccini – Poznań Opera' right from your couch? Pinpointing where to stream, rent, buy, or watch where to stream or rent the -helmed movie can be confusing so we at ...