Manon
Music by
Jules Massenet

2025
Wednesday
September
24
19:00
September
24
19:00
Saturday
September
27
19:00
September
27
19:00
Friday
October
03
19:30
TuesdayOctober
03
19:30
October
07
19:00 Friday
October
10
19:30
Cast
Manon | Lisette Oropesa | |
Le Chevalier des Grieux | Benjamin Bernheim | |
Lescaut | Yannick Debus | |
Le Comte des Grieux | Nicolas Testé | |
Guillot de Morfontaine | Daniel Norman | |
Monsieur de Brétigny | Andrew Moore | |
Poussette | Yewon Han | |
Javotte | Rebeca Olvera | |
Rosette | Karima El Demerdasch | |
Le Portier du Séminaire | Henri Bernard Guizirian | |
L'hôtelier | Valery Murga |
Conductor
Sesto Quatrini
DirectorFloris Visser
Set DesignerDieuweke van Reij
LightingAlex Brok
ChoreographyPim Veulings
ChorusmasterErnst Raffelsberger
DramaturgeKathrin Brunner
About
Manon desires a life of luxury. Des Grieux, a student, tries to escape his father's influence; with Manon, he hopes for a freer life. The uncompromising nature of their desires proves to be the young couple's downfall. "Manon" overnight made Jules Massenet one of France's leading opera composers of the Belle Époque. Lisette Oropesa is one of the outstanding lyric coloratura sopranos of her generation. The international career of French tenor Benjamin Bernheim began as a member of the International Opera Studio in Zurich.

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Reviews
Zürich, Opernhaus: MANON; 24.09.2025
Lisette Oropesa IST Manon mit jeder Faser, jeder Mimik, jeder Geste und mit einer stupenden vokalen Rollengestaltung. Die Stimme leuchtet, brennt, kennt Leidenschaft, Trauer, Stimmungsschwankungen und ist von immenser Kraft, ohne jegliches Forcieren. Da ist eine tiefe Empfindsamkeit zu verspüren, eine Jugendlichkeit, eine Unerschrockenheit, aber auch Wehmut und Selbstvorwürfe und vor allem ein Verständnis für und eine Liebe zu dieser Figur. Das ist weniger kalkulierende femme fatale als vielmehr einfach eine junge Frau an der Schwelle zum Erwachsenwerden, welche für ihre Fehler bitter bezahlen muss.Lisette Oropesa IS Manon with every fiber, every facial expression, every gesture, and with a stunning vocal characterization. Her voice shines, burns, knows passion, sadness, mood swings, and possesses immense power, without any forcing. One can feel a deep sensitivity, youthfulness, fearlessness, but also wistfulness and self-blame, and above all, an understanding of and love for this character. She is less of a calculating femme fatale and more simply a young woman on the brink of adulthood, who must pay dearly for her mistakes.— Kaspar Sannemann • Oper Aktuell
Die Oper Zürich glänzt mit einer fulminanten „Manon“
Lisette Oropesa war schlicht phantastisch, sie hat diese Aufführung mit ihrer stetigen Bühnenpräsenz getragen – ihre leuchtende Stimme voll innerer Kraft, sie brennt von Selbstzweifeln, die dann umgehend umschlagen in Leidenschaft und spielerische Frivolität.Lisette Oropesa was simply fantastic; she carried this performance with her constant stage presence - her luminous voice full of inner strength, burning with self-doubt that immediately transforms into passion and playful frivolity.— Dr. Charles E. Ritterband • Klassik Begeistert
Oropesa y Bernheim deslumbran en la 'Manon' dirigida por Quatrini
Desde su primera aparición, la soprano estadounidense lució en el aria de entrada un timbre redondo y luminoso, mientras el tenor desplegaba un fraseo de impecable pureza. El dúo «À Paris, nous irons» confirmó su química: ella con ligereza juguetona; él con elegante complicidad. El «Adieu, notre petite table» de Oropesa destacó por un fraseo impecablemente sostenido, con fiato generoso y un control dinámico que llevó la emoción a una intensidad íntima y sobrecogedora. Bernheim respondió de inmediato con «En fermant les yeux», desplegando una línea de canto homogénea y perfectamente apoyada, de pianos bien regulados y sutiles toques de falsete que reforzaron el carácter ensoñador de la página. En la escena del Cours-la-Reine, Oropesa deslumbró en «Obéissons quand leur voix appelle» con coloratura de manual, trinos perfectamente engastados y una línea de gran distinción que hizo brillar cada arabesco melódico; y, sin perder un ápice de frescura, culminó con una Gavotte de auténtica escuela francesa, ligera y danzante.Since her first appearance, the American soprano showcased a round and luminous timbre in the entrance aria, while the tenor unfolded a phrase of impeccable purity. The duet "À Paris, nous irons" confirmed their chemistry: she with playful lightness; he with elegant complicity. Oropesa's "Adieu, notre petite table" stood out for impeccably sustained phrasing, with generous breath support and dynamic control that brought the emotion to an intimate and overwhelming intensity. Bernheim immediately responded with "En fermant les yeux," unfolding a homogeneous and perfectly supported vocal line, with well-regulated pianos and subtle falsetto touches that reinforced the dreamlike character of the piece. In the Cours-la-Reine scene, Oropesa dazzled in "Obéissons quand leur voix appelle" with textbook coloratura, perfectly embedded trills, and a line of great distinction that made every melodic arabesque shine; and, without losing a bit of freshness, she culminated with a Gavotte of authentic French school, light and dancing.— Albert Garriga • Opera Actual
MANON von Jules Massenet. Wiederaufnahme. Geht es so weiter, sind die goldenen Jahre am Opernhaus
Lisette Oropesa triumphiert an diesem Abend als Manon Lescaut. Die jugendlich strahlende Stimme sitzt perfekt, spricht in allen Lagen perfekt an und hat das «gewisse Etwas». Mit perfekt fokussiertem, traumhaft sicherem, auf Anhieb erkennbaremLisette Oropesa triumphs this evening as Manon Lescaut. Her youthful, radiant voice is flawless, resonating perfectly in all ranges and possessing that "certain something." With perfectly focused, dreamily secure, instantly recognizable.— Jan Krobot • Online Merker
MANON | Opernhaus Zürich
At the heart of the evening was Lisette Oropesa, whose portrayal of Manon confirms her complete artistic maturity in the role. From the first act, her command of the character’s arc was palpable. She brought a finely shaded interpretation that captured Manon’s evolution from youthful impulsiveness to tragic despair. Oropesa’s voice, always radiant, was imbued with emotional texture throughout. The famous “Adieu, notre petite table” was deeply moving, rendered with such intimacy and fragility that the audience seemed to hold its breath. In contrast, the dazzling gavotte in Act III showed her technical brilliance yet impeccably controlled. Her crystalline high notes and refined phrasing, paired with flawless French diction, placed her firmly among the definitive interpreters of the role today. She offered not just a vocally perfect Manon, but one who felt vividly, heartbreakingly real.— Lloyd • Opera Diary
Opernhaus Zürich: Wiederaufnahme von Jules Massenets Oper „Manon“
Lisette Oropesa als Manon ist großartig, sowohl stimmlich, wie auch durch ihre Interpretation der Titelfigur. Sie vermag es meisterhaft, Stimmungen wie Freude, Übermut oder Verzweiflung, dem Publikum zu vermitteln.Lisette Oropesa as Manon is magnificent, both vocally and in her interpretation of the title character. She masterfully conveys emotions such as joy, exuberance, or despair to the audience.— Marco Stücklin • Opern Magazin
Quartet Of Productions A Stellar Start For New Boss At Zurich Opera
Manon is one of Oropesa’s best roles, showing her lyrical soprano to its finest advantage under normal circumstances, let alone when the soprano was in such voluptuous voice as she was for this performance.— Rick Perdian • Classical Voice America