Manon Lescaut

I had my evening all planned out. As I spent the day at home doing homework for my correspondence course, I was going to clean my room, read the Austrian paper and relax for a few hours before meeeting some of the exchange students. Needless to say, it didn't quite work out that way.

At 15.30 I called Caroline to invite her over for dinner on Sunday (my host family is having a family dinner and they've invited us). As it turns out yesterday was the birthday of one of her friends and to celebrate everyone was going to the opera. Did I want to come?

(Sidebar: For those of you who haven't been to Vienna, it's one of the main classical music cities of the world...perhaps even the capital city. Going to the opera is talked about with the same enthusiasm as going to watch a hockey game.)

Anyways, I managed to arrange things so I could meet Caroline and her friends for the opera and then meet the exchange students later. I have to confess though, I committed an unpardonable sin....I wore jeans to the opera. (Yes, I know...call the executioner and disown me now.) I wasn't planning on wearing jeans though. I was all dressed, ready to go and had just put on my shoes when I realized that one of my dress pant legs was shorter than the other. Yes. And not by a little either....my left leg was a whole inch shorter than the right. Great. I didn't have time to change into a skirt, so I slipped on my jeans and off I went into the night.

At the Staatsopera I met up with Caroline and five other friends. Everyone one of us was from a different country all spoke either German or English. After waiting in line for just over an hour, we had our tickets (€2 for Standing tickets). We found our spots, checked our coats and explored the opera house. I'd been there three years ago with a girlfriend but there were still things I hadn't seen. One of Caroline's friends is from South Korea and between the two of us we played the typical tourists until the lights began to dim.

Promptly at 19.30, Puccini's Manon Lescaut began. What a performance. I'd completely forgotten how dramatic operas are. (Disclaimer: If you plan on seeing the opera for yourself stop reading now.)

Manon Lescaut...a condensed version

Des Grieux is a depressed student. By chance he sees this girl (Manon) and is dumbstruck by her beauty (but of course, not so dumbstruck that he can't sing). He goes up and talks (well actually, sings) to her. She tells him her name and he declares his undying love and devotion. He then tries to persuade her to run away with him...it works...he only has to ask once (keep in mind she just met the guy). They agree to meet in the evening.

Meanwhile, her brother (who's escorting her) is approached by a wealthy banker who, like Des Grieux, is struck by Manon's beauty. The brother comments that they are on their way to drop Manon off at a convent. The banker is saddened (sort of) and plots to abduct Manon that very night. One of the Des Grieux's friends just happens to overhear this (convenient, eh?). Manon and Des Grieux rendezvous and manage to escape to Paris where they live happily everafter...no actually, not everafter....just for a while.

Manon ends up leaving Des Grieux and going to live with the banker. He lavishes her with clothes, jewels and composes songs for her (which in the modern version that we saw, she then plays the lead female singer and actress in the acompanying music video). So she has all these beautiful things (you should see her closet!) but she misses the love of Des Grieux. (There's more, but I don't want to spill all the details)

Anyways, she meets Des Grieux again but before they can run away the banker comes (if Manon didn't try and have her maids pack all ten of her suitcases they would have gotten away). The Banker of course gets all mad and calls the guards. (I'm skipping stuff here because otherwise this post would just keep on going and going.)

Des Grieux pulls a dagger and threatens anyone who tries to come near him and Manon. Then he collapses and begs the banker to take him along as a servant.

Manon and Des Grieux both are sent into exile in America (that's what the opera says...so don't ask me to explain that). Manon is dehydrated and starts to hallucinate. She sees the jewellery that the banker gave her and keeps wondering if she is still as beautiful as she once was. It now takes her almost 45 minutes to decide whether she wants to die or not (and you thought I was drama queen). Des Grieux comes back (she sent him to look for water after declaring that as a woman she was weak and could go no further). He can't find any water. And so, (insert dramatic orchestra music here), on the streets of America, a beautiful (but rather conceited and obsessed with wealth) Manon dies.

The end.