Customer Reviews

Puccini - Manon Lescaut / Sinopoli, Domingo, Te Kanawa, Allen, Royal Opera Covent Garden

5 star:		(15)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

In a line: The best performance ever. Kiri Te Kanawa and Placido Domingo hit it off the instant they enter the stage. Domingo is perfect as Des Grieux - one of his greatest roles. He uses his emotion and powerful voice to portray a helpless, in love and at the same time, moving, Des Griuex. Kiri Te Kanawa is the greatest Manon there ever was. She moves through the opera seamlessly displaying a gorgeous voice (regardless of a reported headcold at the time) and breathtaking acting ability. Act one is wonderful, Act 2 is brilliant (Te Kanawa throwing in every emotion - sadness, despair, laughter, mockery...all to perfection) and of course, the great love duet between these two sexy performers. Act 3 is wonderful, with Thomas Allen excelling himself as Manon's older brother. Act 4 is the icing on the cake - wonderful acting, moving music, great stage, and best of all - Manon's death scene - Te Kanawa is tear jerking, to say the very least. Domingo sobs like his heart is broken and it leaves you with a feeling that here is performance that will never be bettered.

Buy it! You will NOT regret it!

This is a truly great performance from very gifted cast of Placido Domingo, Kiri Te Kanawa, Thomas Allen, etc. I've seen number of opera productions on TV or video, this is certainly one of the best. They are in great voice and all of them are truly good actors, too. I really wish I could recommend this video. But the original VHS release is now out of print, and the releasing company made a terrible decision of recording it on EP mode, thus producing an inferior quality in video transfer. At the price tag of $30, this is totally unacceptable.

This is the best video of Manon Lescaut with the very best cast available. The production values are excellent and singing unequaled, not even by Domingo in the Met production with Scotto. This is one of Kiri's strongest roles and there is no tenor that can touch Domingo's "favorite" role. Sir Thomas Allen is certainly one of my favorite baritones and is perfect as her brother. The acting is all on a par with the singing. I love this one and purchased one of the first VHS with subtitles so I'm happy with the quality of the tape, if a little faded. When I convert to DVD I'll definitely buy this again. Buy it if you love these singers, Puccini and Covent Garden!

Manon Lescaut is one of those operas that has all the elements to be a classic. Beautiful music, poignant story and a tragic end. And of course, it is Puccini's! true that it is not his best one. But not because he was not done his best but because he was still walking towards his perfection in style that would achieve later with Tosca or Turandot.

The story based on a novel by I'Abbe Prevost, was a popular example of the moral novels of the XVIIIth. A young girl who in her way to the convent scapes kidnapping by an old noble, with the help of her ambitious brother, and run away with a young poet. To be later the lover of that old aristocrat till her love appears again. In revenge she is imprisioned and sent to the French colony of Florida. Des Grieux, her lover, follow her and she ends tragically in the swamps of Florida.

So with this dramatic story Puccini creates a beautiful opera. A beauty that starts since the first act to get its peak in the third and ends in that dramatic end. Sinopoli was a wonderful director. His conducting was powerful and energetic, but , when is required also tender. Only watching him is an spectacle by itself. The way the orchestra plays the prelude is one of those that make you cry, literally.

And about the singers I think the cast is excellent. Ok, I admit I always like Placido Domingo, even when I should not. But here he is perfect. He has the voice, the looks, the manners to be the perfect Des Grieux. . When he sings "Donna non vidi mai" you suddenly understand why people like opera. Listing to him is a pleasure.

About Kiri Te Kanawa I am sure that although those who think she is a light soprano must admit she sings here beautifully. How she changes from the first act to the end is something that only she could have done. About her flawless, well I consider that a matter of opinion. She shows an splendid technique and evidently she is not Callas. But who is? Her clarity, and emotion is something to be considered. It is not that she was worse or better , they have different ways to approach to the character. And I find her Manon still the best.,above Ms Fleming's, Ms Frenni's or whoever. Because here she had found the perfect balance between performing and singing and that is always something difficult to accomplish.

This production is perfect. I admit I prefer classic productions for this kind of operas. Everything is perfect although I guess that the edition of this dvd it is not as good as it should. I remember watching this opera live from the Covent Garden on tv and the coulours were a little bit stronger. But even with that I think it is a dvd that a good opera aficionado should have or even if you are not. It is easy to fall under the spell of opera after watching this production.

To jump ahead, Act 4 of this opera lovers'opera is not to be believed!2 luminaires of the opera world combine to set the screen on fire! Such an idealistic beginning to have such a tragic end. This is an epic Manon Lescaut.Dame Kiri,a wonderful
countess in Strauss'Capriccio,wrenches all my emotions to the surface with her portrayal of Manon Lescaut.Placido is magnicent
as the spurned lover returned.This presentation is a 2 hour master class.The beautiful melodies continually flow.Thomas Allen is a wonderful Lescaut.The orchestra of the Royal Opera house under Giuseppe Sinopoli is flawless.Not unlike Jacqueline Dupre,Fitz Wunderlich& Arlene Auger,Giuseppe Sinopoli was a musical genius taken too early from us by death.His passion for his art is most evident in his conducting of the intermezzo.What
a wonderful production!Bravo!Bravo!Bravo!

I was so thrilled to see this 83 production of Manon Lescaut has been re-released. It's criminal that it hasn't been re-released before this!

This is my favourite production of Manon. Kiri Te Kanawa in the title role plays Manon to perfection, the confused girl in Act One, the mistress who's wealth has gone to her head in Act Two, and the pathetic, unhappy girl in Act Three and Four. Kiri goes through so many emotions in just two hours, and by the end you even feel sorry for this mislead, selfish girl. Her voice suits the part wonderfully. Domingo is a wonderful Des Griuex, his voice is like velvet, and his acting is faultless. And of course, there is the usual chemistry between these two superstars. Thomas Allen is the convincing Lescaut, and Geronte is like nails down a black board! Perfect production - BUY IT or you're missing out on the best production of Manon available!

This video is absolutely wonderful! Placido Domingo is the all-round, brilliant Des Grieux, Thomas Allen is your perfect Lescaut - cheeky and fun. Kiri Te Kanawa is wonderful as Manon - despite a head cold, she sings beautifully, and she goes through all of Manon's emotions in the space of two hours! From a frightened young girl, to a proud aristocrat, to a pathetic, dying woman, all to utter perfection! It's the most incredible production. BUY IT!

I'll agree with just about all the pluses above. While Domingo does not show a lot of nuance in his performance, his voice is fresh and right on the mark with a ring that will make your spine tingle. I've never heard Kiri sound better and I never thought of her as a great actress. This definitely proved me wrong about her acting ability. The only downside to this DVD is the soft focus due to age and captions what are minimal, or at least that's how they seemed. Buy this, you won't be disappointed.

I can add little to what others have said about this extraordinary night at Covent Garden. It's sheer ecstacy to watch these two gifted singing-actors on stage together. Puccini's rapturous score is in able hands with a young Sinopoli in the pit, and the stars are well-complemented by a great supporting cast. Picture and sound may not be state-of-the art, but when you have such magic on stage it matters little. Bravi!

I found more black and white in this performance than most of the reviewers here. Acts 3 and 4 were glorious. Kiri te Kanawa and Domingo knock sparks off eachother on stage. Domingo lives the part and brings out the very best in Kiri who, for once, acts instead of looking at herself in the mirror. It seems that when Manon is reduced to rags, Kiri sheds her affectations and sings from the heart. Sinopoli's conducting is outstanding. He manages to make you listen to this potentially-hackneyed work with new ears, finding an untrodden path without sounding perverse or self-conscious. Speeds are generally fast, articulation still clear.
But most of the first two acts I found dragged a little. Maybe Puccini takes some of the blame, but to me the supporting cast, after Allen and the two principals, was underpowered. When Domingo isn't on stage, the temperature drops ten degrees, even Te Kanawa going into suspended animation. Acting in the crowd scenes is rather wooden, direction earthbound.
Through it all the orchestra shines. For that, and the last two acts, this is well worth watching.