GREAT PERFORMANCES: LIVE FROM LINCOLN CENTER: NEW YORK CITY OPERA: MASSENET, MANON {FRENCH WITH ENGLISH SUBTITLES} {TAPE 1 OF 2} (TV)
Summary
Tape one of two. One in this series on the performing arts. In this live broadcast from the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts in New York City, Julius Rudel directs Beverly Sills and Henry Price in Jules Massenet's opera "Manon." The program includes the opera, in five acts, sung in French with English subtitles, and three intermissions. Tape one contains the first two acts and intermission interviews with Nico Castel, Beverly Sills, Kitty Carlisle Hart, and Julius Rudel. The program begins backstage with host Robert MacNeil introducing the night's performance amidst the last-minute confusion of the performers. Then, Act I begins with an onscreen scrawl summarizing the plot. It is the year 1721. Guillot de Morfontaine and his friend De Bretigny demand their dinner at an inn in Amiens. Meanwhile, Lescaut waits in the courtyard for the arrival of his cousin Manon. Upon her arrival, Manon quickly garners the attention of Guillot. Guillot persuades her to run away with him to Paris in his carriage. Manon, however, falls in love with Le Chevalier Des Grieux and then runs away with him in Guillot's carriage. Backstage, MacNeil talks with Nico Castel about several topics: his enjoyment of small, "character" work; his pinching of girls in the opera; his Portuguese and Venezuelan background; the importance of acting in operas; and his view of Sills. Castel leaves and Sills joins MacNeil. They discuss her career up to this point including her early acting work in commercials and soap operas, and how she became interested in opera. The opera continues with Act II, also with an onscreen scrawl. Manon and Des Grieux are now living together in Paris. Des Grieux writes to Manon's father asking for his approval to marry her; Manon happens to notice the letter. The act ends with De Bretigny entering and demanding "satisfaction" for the abduction of his cousin, eventually taking her from Des Grieux and bringing her back to Guillot. Backstage again, MacNeil interviews Kitty Carlisle Hart, Chairman of the New York State Council on the Arts, and Julius Rudel. Rudel discusses the production of "Manon" including its popularity and appeal to audiences. Hart discusses her past opera career, including the time she worked with Sills; she also discusses the current challenges of keeping the New York City Opera afloat financially, whether New York City really needs two opera companies, and whether musical comedy has a place among legitimate opera. The first tape ends at a short pause during the intermission. Continues with T:72474.
Cataloging of this program was made possible by The Edward John Noble Foundation.
Details
- NETWORK: PBS
- DATE: October 18, 1977 Tuesday 8:00 PM
- RUNNING TIME: 3:29:01
- COLOR/B&W: Color
- CATALOG ID: T:72472
- GENRE: Music
- SUBJECT HEADING: Opera
- SERIES RUN: PBS - TV series, 1976-
- COMMERCIALS: N/A
CREDITS
- John Goberman … Producer
- Tito Capoblanco … Director
- Kirk Browning … Director
- Robert S. Schwarz … Direction (Misc.), Intermission Director
- Betty Anne Besch … Writer
- Joan Kramer … Writer
- Sonya Friedman … Writing (Misc.), Subtitles
- Robert MacNeil … Host
- Martin Bookspan … Announcer
- Jules Massanet … Composer
- Julius Rudel … Conductor
- Beverly Sills … Cast, Manon
- Henry Price … Cast, Le Chevalier des Grieux
- Richard Fredricks … Cast, Lescaut
- Samuel Ramey … Cast, Le Comte (the Count)
- Nico Castel … Cast, Guillot de Morfontaine
- Robert Hale … Cast, De Bretigny
- Elizabeth Hynes … Cast, Poussette
- Gwenlynn Little … Cast, Javotte
- Sandra Walker … Cast, Rosette
- Harlan Foss … Cast, Innkeeper
- Don Yule … Cast, Guards, Sergeant
- James Sergi … Cast, Guards
- Harriet Greene … Cast, Maid
- Louis Perry … Cast, Tobacco Vendor
- Sandra Balestracci … Cast, Cupid
- Don Carlo … Cast, Seminary Porter
- Dan Kingman … Cast, Gambler
- Hugh Carey
- Kitty Carlisle Hart