Music, drama and breathtaking visuals came together in a spectacular performance at the Janáček Theatre in Brno, where the audience experienced the eagerly awaited premiere of ‘Manon Lescaut’, a musical production of the Brno National Theatre (NdB) directed by Štěpán Pácel and conducted by Ondrej Olos.
Composed by Giacomo Puccini in 1889, this masterpiece of Italian opera tells the story of love, betrayal and the ultimate tragedy of Manon Lescaut, a beautiful young woman who abandons the love of her life Renato for the luxury and pageantry offered by a rich, older suitor, Geronte. When a reunion with Renato makes her question her choice, exile and illness bring her story to a heartbreaking end.
This opera, which lasts about three hours (including a 25-minute intermission between the second and third acts), is also suitable for audiences who are not used to classical music or who have never attended an opera before: the large dose of emotion it is charged with and Puccini’s beautiful melodies make it extremely engaging, allowing the listener to empathise with the characters and satisfying different tastes. What’s more, the theatre is equipped with a screen with subtitles in Czech, English and German, so even those who don’t know the plot or speak Italian can enjoy the show.
The NdB production did full justice to this great classic: the singers (Jana Šrejma Kačírková, Jiří Brückler, Peter Berger and Zdeněk Plech in the leading roles) brought the characters to life with touching and powerful performances, accompanied by the sounds of a great orchestra, which shone brightest in the beautiful intermezzo -my personal favourite -with a brilliant and deferential performance.
Meanwhile, the minimal yet elegant set moved from Amiens to Manon’s mirrored room in Paris in the first two acts, then to the harbour where she awaits exile, and finally to America, the setting of the tragic finale. The costumes moved away from traditional 19th century dress to a more contemporary style, with vibrant and colourful tones to match the set.
The premiere of Manon Lescaut was met with an enthusiastic response; as the final notes faded away, the theatre erupted in a standing ovation that lasted for almost ten minutes, and the audience seemed emotionally moved by the performance, marking a strong start for this new season.
