Is the title character in Manon a terrible, manipulative, amoral person who drags down the young man who loves her as she chooses financial security over true love?
Or is she, viewed in retrospect, a woman of 18th Century France with few choices, especially if the family she comes from is in straitened circumstances? Is she a pragmatic survivor or nothing but an opportunistic con artist who gets her just desserts in the end?
Houston Ballet is about to embark on its first full length story ballet of the 2026-27 season with the ballet choreographed by the renowned Sir Kenneth McMillam. It’s been more than 10 years since Houston Ballet danced this particular work, set to the music of Jules Massenet.
Co-Artistic Director Julie Kent danced this role when she was with American Ballet Theatre.
“I made my debut as Manon in 1995, I danced the title role over probably 20 years. She’s a complex character. The story is from 1730; we’re talking almost 300 years and just the options for women in particular; they had no options. If they didn’t have family or money there was really no security whatsoever.
“A woman being supported by, I guess they called them ‘patrons’ or a variety of things. Life expectancy was much shorter. The whole circumstances of when this story was written, they’re historic. It’s a story that I think as far as the experience of the human condition and making decisions that have impacts. And coping with the complexity of what it is to be human is sort of timeless. The circumstances of the story are from Paris of several years ago.
“This is a great vehicle for the leading characters and also a way to celebrate the longstanding relationship that Houston Ballet has had with Sir Kenneth [MacMillan,] Kent says. “And since his death, with the trust,” she says. “It’s a wonderful opportunity for the company and for the artists to dive into a complicated and really heartbreaking story.”
As the story begins, Manon’s family is shipping her off to a convent, to save the cost of providing for her. On the way, however, the old gentleman traveling with her is obviously attracted to her. Manon’s brother Lescaut, who is meeting Manon at the inn where they’ve stopped, notices this and works a deal with Monsieur GM. At the same time, however, outside the inn, Manon meets the young Des Grieux and they fall in love and they take off together.
It doesn’t last. Manon abandons Des Grieux for Monsieur GM and his wealth, with the urging of her brother. Monsieur becomes her “protector.” Marriage would necessitate her bringing a dowry and that’s not possible.
Eventually Manon returns to Des Grieux but that has heavy consequences. Monsiuer GM has her arrested saying she’s a prostitute and she is shipped off to a penal colony in Louisiana. Des Grieux goes as well. She dies there.
Asked what goes into deciding to do a particular ballet, Kent says:
“There’s always making sure you have the cast. The planning is several years out. You’re looking at rotations from a large scale. Making sure that ballets that you love and are important to keep in the repertoire don’t fall out of the cycle for too long. It’s been over a decade since we’ve done Manon so this is definitely a good time for it to return.”
There have been two operatic versions of Manon but the ballet did not adopt the score from either one. “This is not the operatic score. It is the music of of Jules Massenet. It’s a compilation of the compositions of Masenet. It was a really artful arrangement by an individual who worked closely with McMillan as he was creating the story scene by scene.
“As a dancer it’s seamless. It’s really amazing how they took these selections and they flowed together to tell the story,” Kent says.
Performances are scheduled for September 24 through October 4 at 7:30 p.m. Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays; and 2 p.m. Sundays at the Wortham Theater Center, 501 Texas. For more information, call 713-227-2787or visit houstonballet.org $30-$173.
