Massenet's Manon: seduction, tragedy and illusions in the Roaring Twenties at Opéra Bastille

From May 26, 2025, theOpéra Bastille presents a new series of performances of Jules Massenet 's iconic opera Manon. Created in 1884 and inspired by the novel by Abbé Prévost, this work remains one of the French composer's most popular. Under the direction of Vincent Huguet, the staging would transpose the action to the era of the Années folles, between parties, illusions and the vertigo of appearances. The production will run until June 20, 2025, with a running time of 3h50, including two intermissions.

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Manon, a vivacious and ambitious young woman, is about to enter a convent when she crosses paths with the Chevalier des Grieux. Fleeing with him, she embarks on a passionate journey of break-ups, reunions and fateful choices. Tempted by the splendors of worldly life, Manon gradually sacrifices her feelings to the lure of luxury and lightness. The Chevalier, sincerely in love, tries to save her from the fate she chooses, right up to her inevitable downfall. The opera alternates grand lyric arias, comic opera passages and moments of musical introspection, reflecting the dramatic richness of the work.

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Manon could appeal to both neophytes curious about a major work in the French operatic repertoire and discerning music lovers sensitive to the elegance of Massenet 's music and the complex evolution of the female character. Vincent Huguet 's staging , transposed to an atmosphere evocative of the 1920s, would reinforce the opera's social and psychological dimension, paralleling the apparent carefreeness of an era with the violence of its setbacks. On the other hand, purists attached to a strictly historical reading may be put off by this aesthetic bias.

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With Manon, the Opéra national de Paris brings Massenet 's masterpiece back into the limelight with a resolutely 20th-century interpretation. From May 26 to June 20, 2025, the Salle Bastille will be the stage for a passion as dazzling as it is tragic, carried by sumptuous music and a staging with a retro charm all its own.

This article has been written on the basis of the information available about the show and is not based on a viewing review.

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