Masterclass: Manon

Kenneth MacMillan's masterpiece Manon is touring outside London for only the second time in 30 years. Find out what audiences are saying about this tragic story ballet, touring to Manchester, Milton Keynes and Southampton this autumn, before heading to the London Coliseum from 16 – 20 January 2019.

When Kenneth MacMillan started work on his ballet version of Manon, rather than use the scores from Giacomo Puccini’s opera Manon Lescaut or Jules Massenet’s opera Manon, he chose to cherry-pick pieces of music written by the latter. This includes sections from some of Massenet’s other operas, oratorios, art songs and orchestra suites.

The character of Manon Lescaut has kept on inspiring artists since her story was first written in 1731. And not just in opera and ballet: but also in film (from silent to post-war) and Japanese pop music!

A tempting seductress. A mysterious charmer. An entrancing and hypnotising lover. No matter how you describe a femme fatale, French for “fatal woman,” one thing is certain: this archetype of literature, art, and even ballet uses her feminine wiles, such as beauty, charm, and sexual allure, to achieve her goals.

On sale on Monday 4 June 11am. We have put together an exciting programme of special events: come and have a great time with us! Discover more about the ballets we'll be performing, get closer to our dancers and teachers, and get your creative juices flowing.

We’re very excited to announce our 2018-19 season, featuring Lest We Forget, Kenneth MacMillan’s Manon, Derek Deane’s Swan Lake, Wayne Eagling’s Nutcracker, She Persisted (a triple bill of works by Stina Quagebeur, Annabelle Lopez Ochoa and Pina Bausch) and Christopher Wheeldon’s Cinderella in-the-round.