Manon Lescaut

Puccini’s early opera captures all the youthful ardor of the scandalous story of Manon Lescaut. A gripping Dorothy Kirsten plays the desirable young girl being shipped off to a convent, who falls in love with Des Grieux (the sensational Jussi Björling) and leads him to ruin. When the story was first published in the 18th century it was meant as a warning to young people. But Puccini’s sweeping melodies and lush harmonies are as enticing as the unforgettable performances by Kirsten and Björling. Young, heedless romance at its best.