Manon at Arts Centre Melbourne State Theatre

In 18th-century Paris, innocence is snuffed out as quickly as a candle. Manon, a naive girl on her way to a convent, dreams of the city. Des Grieux, a young student, is instantly smitten by her, and they run away together. But once in Paris, Manon quickly succumbs to the lure of money and position, becoming the much-admired mistress of a powerful man. When she slips away from him to her first love, des Grieux, her course is set for both redemption and tragedy.

Sir Kenneth MacMillan’s vision of the decadent Parisian demi-monde, brought to life by Peter Farmer’s rich brocades and dripping jewels, offers an array of career-making roles: the complex Manon, torn between ambition and her heart; the tender, loyal des Grieux; Manon’s vile brother Lescaut, prepared to pimp his sister to the highest bidder; and his vampy, tipsy mistress. This is story ballet for the modern age, looking unflinchingly at a sordid world where love must be strong to survive.