Sunday Classics: Manon and des Grieux go their separate ways, or try

Natalie Dessay sings Manon's farewell to her table from Act II of Manon, from the same 2007 Barcelona performance from which we saw Rolando Villazón sharing des Grieux's dream with her in last night's preview. (Isn't it wonderful that you can sing like this and still be a star?)

by Ken

We're going to hear more of the full scene, but for now, to try to wash away the taste of the above performance, here's just the aria sung in Italian, as "Addio, o nostro picciol desco."

MASSENET: Manon: Act II, Manon, "Adieu, notre petite table" ("Farewell, our little table") (sung in Italian)

[Approaches the table, laid for dinner.]
Farewell, our little table,
that brought us together so often.
Farewell, farewell, our little table --
so big for us, however.
We take up, it's unimaginable,
so little space . . . especially while squeezing each other!
Farewell, our little table!
The same glass served us both.
Each of us, when we drank,
searched for the other's lips on it.
Ah! poor friend, how he loved me!
Farewell, our little table, farewell!

Mirella Freni (s), Manon; Orchestra of the Teatro alla Scala, Peter Maag, cond. Live performance, June 3, 1969

As I wrote in last night's preview, today we're focusing on music that Massenet found to portray the pain of separation felt by both Manon and des Grieux. And as I also mentioned, we're filling in here some knowledge that Manon possesses already when des Grieux shares with her his ravishing dream, a dream that might not seem nearly so dreamy to her even if she didn't know that he's about to be abducted from their cozy little love nest by emissaries of his father, the Count des Grieux.


AS ACT III BEGINS, THE FORMER LOVERS
HAVE GONE THEIR SEPARATE WAYS

For Manon that way is the way of the courtesan, a woman of dubious virtue whose beauty and ability to satisfy gives her the power to open rich men's purses; for des Grieux the way is that of the church, which is where we're going to start -- and this time we're going to start with Georges Thill.

The second scene of Act III finds us in the reception room of Paris's church of St. Sulpice, where the hero of the day is the matchlessly eloquent . . . Abbé des Grieux! He hasn't taken his final vows yet, though, and if he thought he would find peace in his new vocation, he was kidding himself. First he is visited by his father, the Count des Grieux, who has succeeded in rescuing him from the unacceptable Manon but isn't at all happy about his intention to embrace the priesthood, and isn't impressed by his son's explanation: "In life I have found only bitterness and disgust."

Finally the count leaves, and --

Manon: Act III, Scene 2, Recitative and aria, des Grieux, "Je suis seul! Seul enfin!" . . . "Ah, fuyez! douce image!" ("I'm alone! Alone at last!" . . . "Ah, fly! sweet image!")

DES GRIEUX: I'm alone! Alone at last!
It's the supreme moment.
There's nothing I love
more than the holy peace that faith brings me.
Yes, I have wanted to place God himself
between the world and myself!

Ah, fly! sweet image! too dear to my soul!
Respect a cruelly won peace,
and reflect that I have drunk a bitter cup,
which my heart could fill with what it has bled.
Ah, fly! Fly, far from me!
Ah, fly!
What does life matter to me, and this semblance of glory?
I want only to chase from the depths of my memory . . .
a cursed name . . . this name . . . that obsesses me, and why?
[The organ sounds and the porter announces the start of the service.]
I'll be there! My God!
With you flame
purify my soul!
And by its light dissipate
the shadow that still passes in the depths of my heart!
Ah, fly! sweet image! too dear to my soul!
Ah, fly! Fly far from me!
Ah, fly far from me! far from me!

Georges Thill (t), Chévalier des Grieux; orchestra, Eugène Bigot, cond. EMI, recorded 1936

Now we're going to hear two glorious tenors who, though they scored some of their greatest triumphs in French roles, were nevertheless (understandably) sensitive about their approximate French.


Enrico Caruso (t), Chévalier des Grieux; Victor Orchestra. Victor, recorded in Camden, Dec. 27, 1911

Jussi Bjoerling (t), Chévalier des Grieux; Royal Orchestra, Stockholm, Nils Grevillius, cond. EMI, recorded Sept. 6, 1945

You would think that the harsh sounds of German would be deadly for music like that. Here's a great tenor showing how beautifully his native language can be sung.


[in German] Joseph Schmidt (t), Chévalier des Grieux; Berlin Municipal Opera Orchestra, Frieder Weissmann, cond. EMI, recorded Sept. 1, 1932

Nevertheless, the sounds of the language of the libretto really do reveal something about the characters. Let's hear "Ah, fuyez!" once more from Francophone (in this case French Canadian) lips, beautifully sung by a voice lighter and less commanding than Georges Thill's.


Léopold Simoneau (t), Chévalier des Grieux; Berlin Radio Symphony Orchestra, Paul Krauss, cond. DG, recorded 1953

Finally -- for now, anyway (we're going to be hearing "Ah fuyez" again as part of the scene that ensues) -- I know many readers are peeved to be always hearing these ancient voices from the '70s and even earlier, so here's a practically brand-new performance.


Jonas Kaufmann (t), Chévalier des Grieux; Prague Philharmonic Orchestra, Marco Armiliato, cond. Decca, recorded August 2007


NOW BACK TO MANON, FIRST BACKING UP TO
ACT II, BEFORE THE SHARING OF "THE DREAM"

I've tried to make it clear without being specific that in hearing des Grieux share his transcendently beautiful dream with Manon in their little apartment in Act II, we have skipped over something important. Although the act begin with the lovers alone, later des Grieux left Manon alone in order to mail a letter to his father explaining his love for Manon. During his brief absence, roughly half the male population of Paris has popped into the little apartment, and important developments have developed.

Most troublingly, Manon has learned that des Grieux is soon to be abducted on orders from his father, the Count des Grieux, and there's nothing she can do about it -- warning him, she's had it explained, will only make things worse.

She has also received assurance that once she's left on her own, patrons are llined up prepared to make support her in a lifestyle she has only dreamt of -- but that she definitely has dreamt of. She wrestles with her conscience. The little aria "Adieu, notre petite table" offers our leading lady an opportunity to reach in and take the audience's hearts in her tiny hand.

Manon: Act II, Recitative and aria, Manon, "Allons! Il le faut! Pour lui-même" . . . "Adieu, notre petite table" ("Come now! It has to be! For his own sake!" . . . "Farewell, our little table")

MANON: Come now! It has to be! For his own sake!
My poor chevalier!
Ah, yes, it's him I love!
And yet, today I hesitate!
No, no! I'm not worthy of him!
I hear that voice that transports me
against my will;
Manon, Manon, you wil be queen . . .
queen . . . by your beauty!
I am nothing but weakness and fragility.
Ah! despite myself I feel my tears flowing,
in the face of these eradicated dreams.
Will the future hold the charms
of these already passed beautiful days?
[Approaches the table, laid for dinner.]
Farewell, our little table,
that brought us together so often.
Farewell, farewell, our little table --
so big for us, however.
We take up, it's unimaginable,
so little space . . . especially while squeezing each other!
Farewell, our little table!
The same glass served us both.
Each of us, when we drank,
searched for the other's lips on it.
Ah! poor friend, how he loved me!
Farewell, our little table, farewell!

Beverly Sills (s), Manon; New Philharmonia Orchestra, Julius Rudel, cond. ABC-EMI-DG, recorded July 1970

Victoria de los Angeles (s), Manon; Metropolitan Opera Orchestra, Pierre Monteux, cond. Live performance Dec. 18, 1954

Angela Gheorghiu (s), Manon; Symphony Orchestra of the Monnaie (Brussels), Antonio Pappano, cond. EMI, recorded Apr.-May 1999

Renée Fleming (s), Manon; Orchestra of the Opéra National de Paris, Jesús López-Cobos, cond. Sony, recorded live, July 2001


NOW WE PROCEED TO THE FIRST SCENE OF
ACT III TO MEET THE NEW BELLE OF THE BALL

Act III opens to a jumble of excitement at the Cours-la-Reine in Paris. Manon is now, by her own declaration, the "queen" of all she surveys, and accepts the accolades of the crowd with something less than maidenly modesty. But remember, the "party Manon" has always been part of her.

What we have here is one of the great soprano showpieces, and what could be more appropriate to our Manon, who longs to be a show? Vocally it strikes a cunning balance between flights of fancy and hard-won control. Massenet has found a wonderful musical device for this in the rhythmic spring of the gavotte.

Manon: Act III, Scene 1, Scene, Manon, "Je marche sur tous les chemins" . . . "Obéissons quand leur voix appelle" . . . "Profitons bien de la jeunesse" ("I walk along every path" . . . "Let us obey when their voice calls" . . . "Let us profit well from youth")

MANON: I walk along every path,
just as well as any sovereign;
people bowk, they kiss my hand,
for by my beauty I am queen!
I am queen!
My horses gallop at great speed;
before my adventurous life
the great ones approach hats lowered;
I am beautiful, I am happy!
Around me everything should flourish!
I go to everything that attracts me!
And if Manon should ever die,
that would be, my friends, in a burst of laughter!
Ah! ah! ah! ah!
BRÉTIGNY and YOUNG MEN: Bravo! Bravo! Manon! Bravo!
Gavotte
MANON: Let us obey when their voice calls,
to tender loves,
always, always, always.
As long as you are beautiful,
use up your days without counting them,
all your days!
Let us profit well from youth,
days that spring brings;
let us love, let us laugh, let us sing without cease,
we're only 20 years old!
BRÉTIGNY and MEN: Let us profit well from youth!
MANON and MEN: Let us profit well from youth, &c.
MANON: Even the most faithful heart, alas,
in one day forgets love, love, love,
and youth spreading its wings
has disappeared without return.
Let us profit well from youth;
quite short is spring!
Let us love, let us sing, let us laugh without cease,
we won't always be 20 years old!
BRÉTIGNY and MEN: Let us profit well from youth! &c.

Beverly Sills (s), Manon; Ambrosian Opera Chorus, New Philharmonia Orchestra, Julius Rudel, cond. ABC-EMI-DG, recorded July 1970

Victoria de los Angeles (s), Manon; Metropolitan Opera Chorus and Orchestra, Pierre Monteux, cond. Live performance Dec. 18, 1954

Angela Gheorghiu (s), Manon; Chorus and Symphony Orchestra of the Monnaie (Brussels), Antonio Pappano, cond. EMI, recorded Apr.-May 1999

Renée Fleming (s), Manon; Chorus and Orchestra of the Opéra National de Paris, Jesús López-Cobos, cond. Sony, recorded live, July 2001

THE MANON SERIES TO DATE

Preview: "We'll live in Paris, together" -- a mystery theme and a mystery duet-fragment [8/31]
The (Hi)story of the Chévalier des Grieux and of Manon [9/2]

Preview: The other operatic "Story of the Chévalier des Grieux and Manon Lescaut" [9/21]
How Massenet and Puccini make Manon and des Grieux matter to us [9/23]

Preview: Tonight finally we hear des Grieux's "Dream" as sung by . . . well, you'll hear [10/6]

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