2014 marks the 40th anniversary of Kenneth MacMillan’s Manon which opens The Royal Ballet Season on 26 September and also opens ROH Live Cinema on 16 October

11^th September 2014

ROYAL BALLET OPENS THE NEW SEASON WITH FORTIETH ANNIVERSARY OF MANON

2014 marks the 40^th anniversary of Kenneth MacMillan’s Manon which opens The Royal Ballet Season on 26 September and also opens ROH Live Cinema on 16 October. Created in 1974, Manon is regarded as one of the great 20^th century productions in the Royal Ballet repertory. The ballet is one of MacMillan’s best loved three act works, portraying the tragic love story of Manon Lescaut and Des Grieux, and is based on the novel by French writer Abbé Prévost.

Manon features the emotionally charged music of Jules Massenet, the sumptuous designs of Nicholas Georgiadis and is orchestrated by Martin Yates. MacMillan created the central roles of the avaricious Manon and her young lover Des Grieux on Antoinette Sibley and Anthony Dowell with David Wall as Manon’s scheming brother Lescaut. Many subsequent casts have excelled in these inspirational roles and forty years since its creation Manon remains a timeless classic. Debuts in the leading roles this Season include Natalia Osipova, Melissa Hamilton and Francesca Hayward as Manon, Vadim Muntagirov and Matthew Golding as Des Grieux, and Carlos Acosta as Lescaut. Marianela Nunez and Federico Bonelli open the season in the leading roles on 26 September and also perform in the Live Cinema stream on 16 October.

Made possible by generous philanthropic support from Celia Blakey, Peter Lloyd and the Royal Opera House Endowment Fund. Original production (1974) made possible by the Linbury Trust.

Manon Saturday 26 September – Saturday 1 November 2014, Royal Opera House

Evening Performances:

Friday 26, September, Wednesday 1, Tuesday 7, Wednesday 8, Thursday 9, Friday 10, Monday 13, Wednesday 15, Thursday 16*, Saturday 25, Wednesday 29 October at 7.30pm

Saturday 4 October and Saturday 1 November at 7pm

Matinee Performances:

Tuesday 30 September at 1pm

Saturday 4 October at 2pm

Sunday 5 October at 12 noon

Saturday 27 September, Saturday 11 October at 12.30pm

*Live Cinema Relay

Box Office:

0207 304 4000

www.roh.org.uk

Creative Team:

Choreography                                                 Kenneth MacMillan

Music                                                               Jules Massenet

Costume Designs                                            Nicholas Georgiadis

Lighting design                                               John B Read

The Royal Opera House

Covent Garden

London

WC2E 9DD