Ballet in two acts (1974)
A life of luxury… or love? In the seedy underbelly of 18th-century Paris, money is king. Nothing is sacred – even love itself can be bought for the right price. A native of this hedonistic underworld, Manon (Yasmine Naghdi) is caught between twin desires when she falls in love with the student Des Grieux (William Bracewell). Steadfast and devoted, he offers the possibility of an honourable life. Yet, the riches promised by the world of Parisian society remain tempting...
Manon’s inner turmoil and struggle for survival lie at the devastating heart of Kenneth MacMillan’s 1974 adaptation of Abbé Prévost’s novel. In this signature work of The Royal Ballet, MacMillan’s nuanced understanding of human psychology makes for an unflinching look into the moral degradation of Manon’s Paris, while all its decadence and decay are brought to life through Jules Massenet’s score and Nicholas Georgiadis’s designs.
RBO guidance: Suitable for ages 14+. This production contains scenes of a sexual nature, including stylised depictions of sexual violence. There is a gunshot in Act II.
