Organization

Singer

Soprano

Maria Guleghina

Manon Lescaut

Baritone

Lucio Gallo

Lescaut

Tenor

José Cura

The knight René Des Grieux

Marco Berti

No role specified

Mario Bolognesi

Gloria Banditelli

Bass

Luigi Roni

Geronte de Revoir

Conductor

Riccardo Muti

Stage director

Liliana Cavani

Set designer

Dante Ferretti

Costume designer

Gabriella Pescucci

Chorus master

Piero Corradino

Ernesto Gavazzi

A lamplighter

Silvestro Sammaritano

Sergeant of the Archers

Ernesto Panariello

The naval captain

Teatro alla Scala

Others

Coro del Teatro alla Scala

Orchestra

Orchestra del Teatro alla Scala

Milan

Italy

JOSÉ CURA, "Manon Lescaut" - Teatro alla Scala in Millan in 1998 
 Live televised at Teatro alla Scala.  

          JOSÉ CURA sang his first Des Grieux in 1998 
                                    Manon Lescaut  
                             Teatro alla Scala in Milan   
       In 1998, firmly entrenched as one of the great modern voices, 
 JOSÉ CURA made his remarkable debut as Des Grieux in Puccini's 
 Manon Lescaut at Teatro alla Scala in Milan in June in 1998.  
Classics Today ----- The fame of super-dude-tenor José Cura -----
 The raison d'etre for the recording is probably the fame of super-dude-tenor José Cura, and he does not disappoint.  The voice is a hefty spinto, dark in color but very bright at the top.  The sound itself is very attractive and Cura sings off the text well, shading his phrases from time to time with real concern.  

 Fanfare ----- Cura is both visually and vocally first rate -----
 Although Muti's tempos are often slow and ponderous, both Guleghina and Cura are visually excellent and manage to convey the emotional aspects of the text dramatically.  Cura is both visually and vocally first rate.   

 Amazon Editoral, Thomas May ----- The star power of José Cura -----
 This live performance from June 1998 at La Scala is clearly banking on the star power of José Cura, who indeed makes his memorable mark on des Grieux.  It's exactly the kind of role to let his strengths shine, and Cura uses his wonderfully dark, ardent tenor to embody des Grieux in all his helpless passion di lui.   

 American Record Guide, September / October 1999
 ----- A Look at José Cura ----- 
 Those interested in seeing José Cura in top form need look no further than the Scala video of Puccini's Manon Lescaut.  The video preserves Cura's remarkable debut by him as Des Grieux.  When asked what made his Manon different from Massenet's, Puccini indicated that it was the prominence accorded the young chevalier, replying that he had "invested all [his di lui] emotion di lui in the voice of that man, wounded in his heart di lui . "  It is precisely this quality of vulnerability, of devastating emotional honesty, that sets Cura's Des Grieux apart.  This young man has already made his mark on the role: his soaring cries in Act IV, thrilling though they may be, transcend mere vocal beauty, conveying a desperate, almost animalistic anguish.  The overall performance makes one anticipate all the more keenly his forthcoming Erato recital of verismo arias….

 MusicWeb International, 2005 (DVD) 
 ----- José Cura is in fine voice, colorful and ardent ----- 
 José Cura, as Des Grieux, is in fine voice, colorful and ardent.  His singing di lui with Guleghina (their voices blending so well) ravishes the ear especially in their tempestuous Act II duets and in the intensity of their Act IV duet as Manon dies in the arms of a distraught Des Grieux. 

 Editorial Review, Barnes and Nobles (DVD) 
  ----- Cura's presence of him is charismatic from the start -----
 Poised to inherit the mantle and the juicy operatic roles of the Three Tenors, José Cura has been subject to intense scrutiny.  Does he have the vocal goods to match the pretty face and dashing figure?  This live recording of Puccini's 'Manon Lescaut,' recorded at La Scala in 1998, offers promising evidence.  As the young student Des Grieux, Cura's presence di lui is charismatic from the start, blossoming into a passionate rendition of the famous Act I tenor aria, "Donna non vidi mai."  It's been noted that Cura's voice leans toward a darker, almost baritonal range, but while his top notes di lui don't ring out á la Pavarotti, they're resonant enough to convince you that his future di lui as an audience-pleasing heartthrob is both secure and deserved.

Manon Lescaut Puccini

Public

Approved

Manon Lescaut by Puccini, From (1998/1998), Directed by Liliana Cavani,, Conductor Riccardo Muti, Teatro alla Scala, Milan, Italy

Performance credits (Cast & Crew )

Cast

Crew

Ensemble

Programme, About & Synopsis

Photos

Further reading

Performance Dates & Venues

Venues