Summer 2020

Manon Lescaut

MUSIC BY GIACOMO PUCCINI

She gave up true love for luxury. Now she wants it back.

Relive the unmatched feeling of dawning love in the opera that skyrocketed Puccini to success. Don’t miss Nicola Luisotti’s return to conduct fan favorites Lianna Haroutounian and Brian Jagde in this luxurious production.

Meet the Cast

Sung in Italian with English supertitles

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HEAR THE MUSIC

WATCH VIDEOS

The biggest highlight…was soprano Lianna Haroutounian, riveting as Manon Lescaut

– San Francisco Examiner

[Brian Jagde’s performance was] vigorous and thrillingly fearless at the role’s climactic junctures

–San Francisco Chronicle

Each time [Lianna] Haroutounian comes to town…she unveils a performance of such grace and dramatic fervor.

–San Francisco Chronicle

Nicola Luisotti conducts with passion, great reception in return to podium

–San Francisco Examiner

His voice resonating with ringing intensity and virile beauty, Jagde was ardent and dashing as the student from Amiens

–San Francisco Examiner

Synopsis

A young beauty forsakes true love for material luxury only to become ensnared by a desire to have both.

READ COMPLETE SYNOPSIS >

PROGRAM ARTICLES

The Many Faces and Voices of Manon

Manon Lescaut was Puccini’s ﬁrst great hit, and, astonishingly, his only unequivocal triumph at its premiere. Read more.

Love Actually: Puccini's First Triumph and the Future of talian Opera

Lying just outside the center of the repertory (a core dominated by Giacomo Puccini’s subsequent three operas, La Bohème, Tosca, and Madama Butterﬂy), Manon Lescaut stakes its greatness on two foundations: its role in Puccini’s personal history, and its own unique treasures. Read more.

CAST AND CREATIVE

CAST

Manon Lescaut	Lianna Haroutounian
Chevalier des Grieux	Brian Jagde
Chevalier des Grieux	Rafael Davila ^*1
Lescaut	Anthony Clark Evans
Geronte	Philip Skinner
Edmondo	Christopher Oglesby
Singer	Ashley Dixon
Dancing Master/Lamplighter	Zhengyi Bai
Innkeeper/Naval Captain	SeokJong Baek
Sergeant of Archers	Christian Pursell
Madrigal Singer	Angela Eden Moser
Madrigal Singer	Jesslyn Thomas
Madrigal Singer	Laurel Cameron Porter
Madrigal Singer	Sally Mouzon

PERFORMANCES

Nov 8, 13, 16, 20, 24, 26

CREATIVE

Conductor	Nicola Luisotti
Director	Olivier Tambosi
Production Designer	Frank Philipp Schlössmann
Lighting Designer	Duane Schuler
Fight Director	Dave Maier
Choreographer	Lawrence Pech
Chorus Director	Ian Robertson

* San Francisco Opera debut

¹ Nov 26

Lyric Opera of Chicago production.

Previous performances of Manon Lescaut can be found in our Archive.

MADE POSSIBLE BY

John A. and Cynthia Fry Gunn; Burgess and Elizabeth Jamieson; the Edmund W. and Jeannik Méquet Littlefield Fund; Bernard and Barbro Osher; Jan Shrem and Maria Manetti Shrem; and Joan and David Traitel.

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