'Manon' at the Royal Opera House Review - Marianela Nunez Is a Success

The Royal Ballet’s 2019/20 season is up and running with Manon, Sir Kenneth MacMillan’s 1974 ballet based on Abbé Prévost’s 1731 novel, Manon Lescaut. Manon is lured into a world where she is the centre of attention—and while her choices are her own, they are also not, forced onto her by many influencers.

We are first introduced to Lescaut, Manon’s brother played in this cast by Marcelino Sambé. It is fitting that we should first be introduced to Lescaut, for he acts as the driving force for this doomed tale. Manon, on her way to the convent, makes a stop to see her brother, and it is here that she meets her lover-to-be, Des Grieux. It is then Lescaut’s greed that sees Manon leaving Des Grieux behind from the richer, albeit older, Monsieur GM. And, once again, it is Lescaut who gives Manon permission to be with Des Greiux—which inevitably leads to the demise of both siblings.

The trick to a great performance of Manon is not a technical cast, save that for Sleeping Beauty, but dancers who are also stellar dramatists.

In his first performance as a Principal of the Royal Ballet, Sambé is proof that this can be done. He is not afraid to slip around the stage—I have seen many the drunk pas de deux and variation done to technical perfection, but nothing else. He provides the eagerness, greed, and control of Lescaut, and finds the perfect balance of too-much, yet not-enough.

As his Mistress, Yuhui Choe steps in for an injured Yasmine Naghdi. Alas, Choe is technically perfect, but her acting is shallow, lacking the depth and emotional range required by this character.

MacMillan’s Manon is a role coveted by ballerinas worldwide, Marianela Nuñez here meets Manon to great success. Nuñez explores Manon’s love for Des Greiux more than other ballerinas I have seen. When tempted by the furs and jewels of Monseiur GM, she is not eager to go with him and does so only because of her brother, Lescaut.

One of the most technically perfect ballerinas currently on stage, Nuñez is able to sink into the role's more musical side—teasing with pirouettes and penchés.

As Des Grieux, Roberto Bolle, celebrating his 20th season as a Guest Artist with the company, gets off to a shaky start, stumbling through most of his first variation, but it his is chemistry with Nuñez that is his saving grace.

Sadly, Koen Kessels’ conducting drags every pas de deux across the stage, drawing out moments of passion and excitement so much so that they become nearly painful to watch. Nuñez and Bolle do their best to keep the passion alive, and the newfound love ripe—but there is only so much anyone can do.

And even if you see Manon a hundred times, you’ve not seen it enough. MacMillan gives the dancers a wealth of opportunities to create stories—I find myself sometimes more enthralled with their side-line hustles than the dancing that is going on.

Though for first-timers Manon might be a bit heavy, it offers some of ballet’s greatest pas de deux and is a wonder to watch.

The production runs through November 6th, and tickets are available on the website of the Royal Opera House.