Opera Reviews
29 March 2024
Untitled Document

Sondra Radvanovsky shines as the tragic heroine, Manon Lescaut



by Catriona Graham
Puccini: Manon Lescaut
Edinburgh International Festival
22 August 2019

Manon Lescaut – exploited or exploiter? Discuss.

In the Deutsche Oper production of Puccini’s opera, given a concert performance at the Edinburgh International Festival, the answer is – the system.

From the overture, the music sparkled in the hands of the orchestra and conductor Donald Runnicles. Then Ya-Chung Huang sang Edmondo with a smile in his voice – albeit occasionally overwhelmed by the chorus – setting the stage for the arrival of Manon, escorted by her brother If there is a villain in the piece it is Lescaut himself, and Thomas Lehman ably conveyed the oily brother who sees his sister’s beauty as a meal-ticket for himself.

Jorge de Léon as the Chevalier des Grieux was one of four late substitutions in the cast. He grew into the role, confident in the arias, but with the comfort of a score on stage for the more recitative and conversational passages. There was certainly a spark when he first saw Manon, and before long she was telling her life-story.

The plan, hatched between Lescaut and Geronte de Revoir, that Manon become his mistress rather than go to a convent, was overheard by Edmondo and Des Grieux and Manon eloped. It didn’t last.

As Manon, Sondra Radvanovsky was superb. She sang eloquently of living in a gilded cage as Geronte’s mistress, and had to endure the performance of one of his madrigals; the singers, led by Anna Buslidze milked the schmaltz. Carlos Chausson was a brisk Geronte, seeing Manon very much as a business transaction, and singing in a no-nonsense manner.

Her brother having given Des Grieux the address, Des Grieux arrived while Geronte was out, to duet with Manon. Radvanovsky caught Manon’s dilemma – love versus luxury – very well.

By the time Manon was being exiled, Lescaut‘s concern was less about losing his sister than the meal-ticket. At all times of crisis – the elopement, the arrest and now, the rescue, singers and orchestra created the tension between the urgency and procrastination. Jorge de Léon’s decision-making – to accompany Manon – was acted out in voice and gesture. while his duet with Manon in the wilderness of New Orleans was very strong.

But Manon dies in the end and this is where Radvanovsky’s true artistry became apparent. (Almost) anyone can do the ‘can belto’ – singing high notes at volume is what opera-singers do. More difficult is singing quietly. Radvanovsky’s diminuendos and pianissimos were sung with exquisite taste and control. The orchestral playing complemented her singing perfectly. When Des Grieux returned to her side, just in time for her to slump on the rostrum, we knew we had seen a fine portrayal of this tragic heroine.

Text © Catriona Graham
Photo © Ryan Buchanan
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