Classical Monday--Manon live opera performance at the Lyric Opera of Chicago

I'm inaugurating a new type of Monday entry--one that is musical, but not musical theater. I can sum up my first Classical Monday entry in one phrase--holy Natalie Dessay.

This weekend I went to the production of Massenet's Manon at the Lyric Opera of Chicago. This Romantic-era opera featured genuine superstar Natalie Dessay in the title role. Ms. Dessay deserves every accolade awarded her tremendous international career. She is a consummate performer, not only singing her role exquisitely, but inhabiting it. Her limp rag-doll performance in the fifth act was a study in how to physically portray a character while keeping the core of one's sound.

Ms. Dessay's tenor was every bit her equal. Jonas Kaufmann is German and while his timber was far from French, his ringing high notes and often hushed legato singing matched the beauty of Massenet's score in just about every way.

One other voice that stood out for me was that of a young baritone, Sam Handley, who sang the small first act role of the Innkeeper. Possessing a robust voice that stays even through the registers, Mr. Handley will be someone to watch. He is in his first year as a Ryan Center Artist, the training program of the Lyric Opera.

The production staging was also very interesting. Presented as a sort of fin du siecle French debauchery, the chorus acted as an audience for much of the opera, situated in tiers of opera house boxes overlooking the stage from the back (depicted in this photo). As the third act presents a ballet-pantomime for the enjoyment of the primary characters, this set-up worked well for the most part. The boxes became the altar of St. Sulpice chapel for the second scene of Act Three.

Sorry, I saw the closing performance at Lyric Opera, so you'll have to scour the opera houses of Europe to find Ms. Dessay or Mr. Kaufmann in their next roles.

Manon
Music by Jules Massenet
Libretto by Henre Meilhac and Philippe Gille
After the novel of Antoine-Francois Prevost (a former monk!)
First performed at the Opera-Comique in Paris, 1884
Cast: Natalie Dessay, Jonas Kaufmann, David Cangelosi, Christopher Feigum, Raymond Aceto