The new Manon Lescaut production presented at Liceu, a co-production by Teatro di San Carlo from Naples and Palau de les Arts Reina Sofia from Valencia, starts at the Ellis Island in New York, a world referent for immigration. It is there that an old Des Grieux recalls his past and the romantic relationship that he had in his youth with Manon Lescaut. The whole opera by Puccini is presented therefore as an immense flashback. The scenography will transform to show us successively the Amiens...

After days of intensive negotiations, strike initiativesn and protest demonstrations, there was finally green light for this new production of Puccini's Manon Lescaut. Budget reductions, restructuring plans with layoffs and general political tensions led to a confrontation between syndicates, employees and workers, on one side, and management and politicians, on the other side, culminating in the acclaimation to close the opera house totally by the Lord mayor of Rome if this Premiere...