Controlled by Fate: Manon Lescaut’s Story Theme
The world of literature and storytelling is often narrowed down to a list of about 12 basic themes, of which the “Controlled by Fate” is on all those lists. Greek tragedies fit into this category. The story theme: There is a force guiding our lives over which we have no control; our lives are pre-determined and unalterable.
Stories, like Manon Lescaut, tell how people go to great lengths to alter the outcome—even changing course, trying to back track to undo the mistakes they’ve made. But nothing can be done to alter her tragic destiny. She does everything in her power to block the future disaster. But it’s to no avail.
And the opera outcomes are heart wrenching to watch:
Manon enters the opera as a beautiful young woman, innocent to the ways of the world. It’s almost like: Someone this sweet must be destroyed! As the opera develops, her pre-determined life runs its course. She tries to undo the mistake she made when she left Des Grieux. Then Geronte tricks her and she’s arrested. She goes to trial and is to be deported. The Dominance of Fate theme has her in its grip and she’s a helpless pawn drawn to a lethal ending, like a moth to the flame.
We sit helplessly in the audience watching this tragedy unfold, unable to do anything to stop it. Our hearts are touched by this catastrophe as she pleads for relief. The music swells around us and through us as she dies. Only the final curtain provides us relief, as it brings us to the realization that what we’ve watched is a story, not reality.
Although Manon Lescaut is a fictional story with a common theme, there are those whose lives parallel her tragedy. Have you ever felt this way about your life?
If you could write the ending of your life story, how would it be different?
Is there a desert in Louisana?
According to the Cartographic Information Center of the State of Louisana there is not a desert in Louisiana.
So why did Puccini write in the opera’s final scene that Manon die in the desert? Did he write the scene based on misinformation that someone told him about America? Or was it for dramatic effect? We really don’t know. But one possible answer might be that he wanted to show a stark contrast for Manon’s end. She dies on a barren desert—as compared to the fancy lifestyle she had while living in Paris.
If you were to write an ending today for Manon’s death, what desolate American location would you select to contrast her Paris lifestyle?
VIDEO CLIP OF THE WEEK
This week we’ll see a performance of Manon’s death aria in the desert.
ACT IV: “Sola, perduta abbandononata”
Watch as Karita Mattila sings Manon’s final desert aria and Marcello Giordani joins her for the final death scene. She beings: “Alone, lost, abandoned in this desolate land…My fatal beauty ruined us…Now I invoke the tomb as a haven of peace.” Des Grieux joins her as she sings, “I’m dying and the shadows are closing in…the flame is dying.” As she dies, Des Grieux falls, grieving over her body.
WEB SITES OF THE WEEK
Daniel Mobbs
The American Bass-Baritone Mr. Mobbs sings the role of Geronte in Manon Lescaut this week in Philadelphia. He previously sang with the Opera Company of Philadelphia as Capulet in Romeo et Juliette and as Angelotti in Tosca. A native of Louisville KY, he is a graduate of the Academy of Vocal Arts in Philadelphia and made his Met debit in 2003 as Cascada in The Merry Wives. Among his many honors are first place in the Mario Lanza Scholarship and a grant from the Puccini Foundation.
J’nai Bridges
Mezzo-soprano J’nai Bridges sings the role of the Madrigalist in this
production of Manon Lescaut. J'nai won first prize in the 2011 Greenfield Competition. As a result she was invited to sing with the Philadelphia Orchestra last month in a Family Concert. She also performed Idamante in Curtis Institute’s 2011 performance of Mozart's Idomeneo. Also this spring, J'nai was just awarded the prestigious Marian Anderson Award, given to the most exciting up-and-coming singer! Congratulations, J'nai!
JOIN OPERA-ONLINE!
Thanks, as always, for visiting the blog. Please don’t forget to encourage your friends or students to join this list so that they can have free opera clips delivered into their email box every week. All they need to do is email their first name, school, and email address to education@operaphila.org and they’ll be added to the list!
Until next week…
The world of literature and storytelling is often narrowed down to a list of about 12 basic themes, of which the “Controlled by Fate” is on all those lists. Greek tragedies fit into this category. The story theme: There is a force guiding our lives over which we have no control; our lives are pre-determined and unalterable.
Stories, like Manon Lescaut, tell how people go to great lengths to alter the outcome—even changing course, trying to back track to undo the mistakes they’ve made. But nothing can be done to alter her tragic destiny. She does everything in her power to block the future disaster. But it’s to no avail.
And the opera outcomes are heart wrenching to watch:
- Tosca throws herself off the castle wall.
- Butterfly ends her life with a dagger.
- The Carmelite nuns go to the guillotine.
- Lucia goes mad, murders her bridegroom, and dies.
- Aida is entombed with her lover, Radames.
Manon enters the opera as a beautiful young woman, innocent to the ways of the world. It’s almost like: Someone this sweet must be destroyed! As the opera develops, her pre-determined life runs its course. She tries to undo the mistake she made when she left Des Grieux. Then Geronte tricks her and she’s arrested. She goes to trial and is to be deported. The Dominance of Fate theme has her in its grip and she’s a helpless pawn drawn to a lethal ending, like a moth to the flame.
We sit helplessly in the audience watching this tragedy unfold, unable to do anything to stop it. Our hearts are touched by this catastrophe as she pleads for relief. The music swells around us and through us as she dies. Only the final curtain provides us relief, as it brings us to the realization that what we’ve watched is a story, not reality.
Although Manon Lescaut is a fictional story with a common theme, there are those whose lives parallel her tragedy. Have you ever felt this way about your life?
If you could write the ending of your life story, how would it be different?
Is there a desert in Louisana?
According to the Cartographic Information Center of the State of Louisana there is not a desert in Louisiana.
So why did Puccini write in the opera’s final scene that Manon die in the desert? Did he write the scene based on misinformation that someone told him about America? Or was it for dramatic effect? We really don’t know. But one possible answer might be that he wanted to show a stark contrast for Manon’s end. She dies on a barren desert—as compared to the fancy lifestyle she had while living in Paris.
If you were to write an ending today for Manon’s death, what desolate American location would you select to contrast her Paris lifestyle?
VIDEO CLIP OF THE WEEK
This week we’ll see a performance of Manon’s death aria in the desert.
ACT IV: “Sola, perduta abbandononata”
Watch as Karita Mattila sings Manon’s final desert aria and Marcello Giordani joins her for the final death scene. She beings: “Alone, lost, abandoned in this desolate land…My fatal beauty ruined us…Now I invoke the tomb as a haven of peace.” Des Grieux joins her as she sings, “I’m dying and the shadows are closing in…the flame is dying.” As she dies, Des Grieux falls, grieving over her body.
WEB SITES OF THE WEEK
Daniel Mobbs
The American Bass-Baritone Mr. Mobbs sings the role of Geronte in Manon Lescaut this week in Philadelphia. He previously sang with the Opera Company of Philadelphia as Capulet in Romeo et Juliette and as Angelotti in Tosca. A native of Louisville KY, he is a graduate of the Academy of Vocal Arts in Philadelphia and made his Met debit in 2003 as Cascada in The Merry Wives. Among his many honors are first place in the Mario Lanza Scholarship and a grant from the Puccini Foundation.
J’nai Bridges
Mezzo-soprano J’nai Bridges sings the role of the Madrigalist in this
production of Manon Lescaut. J'nai won first prize in the 2011 Greenfield Competition. As a result she was invited to sing with the Philadelphia Orchestra last month in a Family Concert. She also performed Idamante in Curtis Institute’s 2011 performance of Mozart's Idomeneo. Also this spring, J'nai was just awarded the prestigious Marian Anderson Award, given to the most exciting up-and-coming singer! Congratulations, J'nai!JOIN OPERA-ONLINE!
Thanks, as always, for visiting the blog. Please don’t forget to encourage your friends or students to join this list so that they can have free opera clips delivered into their email box every week. All they need to do is email their first name, school, and email address to education@operaphila.org and they’ll be added to the list!
Until next week…
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