The Metropolitan Opera HD Live (TV Series) Puccini: Manon Lescaut (2008) User Reviews

Opera Pouffe

[Gyran · 8/10 · 4 June 2012]

This production seems to be the filler in the Metropolitan Opera's 2008 high definition season. Karita Matilla and Marcello Giordani make an unlikely teenage virgin and student. At least Karita Matilla's voice is up to the part and she successfully adopts a girlish manner. The portly Giordani is apparently a Met favourite and is reckoned by some to have a voice similar to Pavarotti's. Not by me though. His high notes sound particularly strained in Act I and I was reminded that I was similarly underwhelmed by his performance in a recent Butterfly from Verona.

This is a revival of a very traditional production. Some of the scenery looks almost as old as the principals. One pouffe keeps on collapsing at the end of Act II whenever Manon tries to pile her jewellery onto it. Nevertheless, this is an enjoyable, if undemanding, production, with a fast-moving plot in Acts I and II. I cherish dodgy card playing scenes in operas and this one has a corker. De Grieux is observing a card game and he says "An ace sir? It's a jack – your mistake". The card players turn to him and exclaim "An expert!" Presumably because he knows the difference between an ace and a jack. There is an entertaining parade of the prostitutes in Act III before that silly final death scene in the desert. This scene, perversely, has the best music in the opera and here, at last Giordani finally makes a favourable impression.

Uneven but very enjoyable

[TheLittleSongbird · 8/10 · 15 October 2011]

When it comes to Manon Lescaut, my favourite productions will always be the 1980 and 1983 productions both with Placido Domingo but the former with Renata Scotto and the latter with Kiri TeKanawa. Manon Lescaut is not one of my favourites but the music is gorgeous and the final act is both thrilling and heart breaking.

Personally, while it is rather uneven I found this production very enjoyable. As you would expect from this series, the high definition does look fantastic, with interesting camera work(even if some of the close-ups do the singers little favour), clear picture quality and excellent sound.

As for the costumes and sets they equally impress. The sets look beautiful without being too old-fashioned and the costumes are sumptuous and don't jar with the setting. Musically the production is wonderful, sparkling orchestral playing bringing out such poignancy in the final act and the Intermezzo and James Levine conducts with a more than evident love of his job.

Staging is fine. The final scene is very moving as it should be. The singing is likewise very good. I admit while I am an admirer of Karita Mattila I did have reservations about her singing Manon. Although I love her Salome, Jenufa, Elisabetta, Leonore and Eva, I didn't like her Tosca in the 2009 Met production. Considering that Tosca is perhaps a heavier role than Manon, I was worried that Mattila would have similar problems.

Actually, while she is by no means perfect and I don't think she has the ideal voice for the role, something lighter and more ethereal would've suited me more, she is much better than she was in Tosca. While she does have a habit at lunging to notes and her voice is not as rich, her pitch is more secure here, she is much less over-tensed in her face, her stage presence while occasionally a little over-played is arresting and her renditions of In Quelle Trine Morbide and Sola, Perduta, Abbandonata are beautiful.

Marcello Giordani from past experience has been uneven. His singing is often of ringing brightness, but there have been times where I have known him to be strained. Here a vast majority of the time his singing belongs in the former category. While the acting itself is on the generic side, he is wonderful in the last two acts, he is natural on stage and his Des Grieux is suitably ardent.

For me, the most even performance of the principals is that of the always reliable Dwayne Croft as Lescaut. His baritone voice is of sympathetic quality, and his acting is much more than stand-there-and-sing quality. Dale Travis and Sean Panikkar are also good, as is Paul Plishka in a smaller role.

All in all, an uneven Manon Lescaut but also a very enjoyable one. 8/10 Bethany Cox