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Director: François Roussillon
Conductor: Jesús López Cobos
Stars: Renée Fleming, Marcelo Álvarez, Jean-Luc Chaignaud, Alain Vernhes.
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0411627/
First performed at the Opéra-Comique in Paris, 1884
Place: France
Time: the reign of Louis XV
I would really need to study this and Puccini's Manon Lescaut pretty closely to tell them apart. They're from the same source material.
Here I noticed that Manon did not actually leave town, but died in Grieux' arms on a barren stage nonetheless.
I think the opening credits claimed this was a comic opera. Don't remember it as such, and the ending sure ain't funny.
Fleming is fabulous, as usual. I have (and have seen) several recordings with this tenor, but he's not a standout. Serviceable, especially when the soprano is gonna steal the show anyway. (He's in 2 forthcoming Tutto Verdi's. It'll be interesting to see if he stands out there.)
Weird ballet with male dancers in short-skirted costumes that echoed the women's side-bustles.
Opera National de Paris, cond. López Cobos; 8
