Giacomo Puccini 1858 – 1924

Manon Lescaut – Three Arias and an Intermezzo from the opera of the same name

Transcriptions for wind orchestra / song by Carlo Balmelli

In addition to Giuseppe Verdi and Gioachino Rossini, Giacomo Puccini is one of the three greatest Italian operatic composers. Puccini is considered a representative of Verismo (style of the Italian opera between 1890 – 1920). The Opera Manon, as often in operas, treats the theme of love in its most dramatic form.
The young student Des Grieux arrives in Paris, where he is laughed at by the people because of his alleged inadequacies in love, whereupon Des Grieux begins to sing a serenade. At the same time, Manon, a female who was to enter a monastery at the behest of her father, met with her brother in Paris who was also the tax collector Geronte de Ravoir. Grieux immediately fell in love with Manon and persuaded her to live with him in Paris. Geronte, too, had also cast an eye on Mano.
A story about great love, jealousy, grief, influence and wealth – without a happy ending. Manon dies in the desert, on a flight and in the arms of Grieux, his love.

IN QUELLE TRINE MORBIDE – Aria for soprano
DONNA NON VIDI MAI – Aria for tenor
TU NON M’AMI DUNQUE PIU – Aria for soprano and Tenor
INTERMEZZO