Australia Dancing

Manon

McMurdo, Don: Greg Horsman and Lisa Pavane as Des Grieux and Manon in 'Manon', the Australian Ballet [3], 1994

Kenneth MacMillan's Manon, a ballet based on Abbe Prevost's novel Manon Lescaut and set to the music of Jules Massenet, was created in 1974 when MacMillan was artistic director of the Royal Ballet. It was first performed by the Australian Ballet in 1994, staged by Monica Parker and Patricia Ruanne, with design by Peter Farmer and lighting by William Akers.

Set in eighteenth-century French society, Manon is a large-scale dramatic and emotional work, a tale of romance and betrayal that explores the conflicting forces of money and love on the central character, Manon. Her fall from Parisian courtesan, through deportation to America, to her final tragic end in the swamps of Louisiana is expressed through MacMillan's distinctive choreographic style, with trademark pas de deux sequences a particular feature. The arrangement of music by Leighton Lucas is taken from Massenet's songs, piano pieces and arias, although none is from his opera Manon.

For the Australian premiere, February 25, 1994 at the State Theatre, Victorian Arts Centre, Lisa Pavane danced the title role, with Greg Horsman as her lover Des Grieux, Steven Heathcote as her brother Lescaut and Sian Stokes as his mistress. During the ensuing Sydney season, Alessandra Ferri appeared as guest artist in the title role. In 2001 four performances of Manon were presented in association with the Melbourne festival and featured guest artists Sylvie Guillem and Laurent Hilaire dancing with the Australian Ballet. Manon has remained in the repertoire of the flagship company and featured Kirsty Martin as Manon and Robert Curran as Des Grieux in the opening performance of the 2008 season, with Steven Heathcote and Sian Stokes appearing as guest artists in the roles of Monsieur GM and Madame.

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