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Puccini's classic takes on a harsh contemporary edge in a dark treatment by director Sláva Daubnerová at Prague's National Theatre. 

Jude Christian's indulgent reinvention of Puccini's opera does not serve English Touring Opera well as it embarks on its spring tour. 

In a new production at The Grange Festival, Elin Pritchard's performance of Puccini's titular heroine in this 1940s-era update is a tour de force.

Deutsche Oper Berlin's revival of Manon Lescaut achieves a rare theatrical success; a witty and visually stunning production combined with thrilling music making in the pit with Sir Simon Rattle leading the orchestra and singers with emotional urgency.

Opera Holland Park updates Puccini's setting to the 1960s in a production that does not completely work, but benefits from the strong performance of Elizabeth Llewellyn as its leading lady.

Barcelona’s Gran Teatre del Liceu stages Puccini’s first great success as an operatic composer, Manon Lescaut with the stage direction of Davide Livermore. 

The Lithuanian soprano makes a most welcome return to the Kungliga Operan as one of the most tragic and beloved of Puccini's heroines. 

Puccini’s score has many thrilling moments, here taken up by a fascinating if uneven cast of singers.

The libretto had a troubled genesis, to say the least: seven people put their hand on it! But the rich melodic invention of the composer prevailed and the success was resounding.

With a light-voiced cast and gentle updating, the Staatsoper's new Manon Lescaut makes a good case for Puccini's difficult breakthrough opera.

Kent's staging brings out the sleaze in Puccini's first big hit; Sondra Radvanovsky thrills in the title role; the musical performance improves through the evening.

Anna Netrebko scored an unmitigated success in her first Manon Lescaut at the Met, almost obliterating director Richard Eyre’s and designer Rob Howell’s misconceived production.

An aesthetically handsome but cold and distant staging mars the long-awaited return of  Eva-Maria Westbroek as Puccini’s heroine at Dutch National Opera.

A starrily cast performance of Puccini's early opera transcended the limitations of concert presentation to provide a very moving and musically rewarding account of the drama.

Too many paparazzi and not enough Puccini in Robert Carsen’s Manon Lescaut in Vienna.

The Met's new production of Manon Lescaut with Kristine Opolais and Roberto Alagna has great potential to be successful musically, but the production is mixed at best.

Neuenfels' production of Manon Lescaut for the Bayerische Staatsoper is strange but coherent. With a perfect cast and tight musical direction, this is about as good as Puccini opera gets.

Treliński’s de-romanticizing of the plot of Puccini's Manon Lescaut makes for a compelling piece of theatre… it’s just not Manon. 

Puccini is one of opera’s best loved composers. With so many popular titles to his name, it is somewhat surprising how infrequently his first great success, Manon Lescaut, is performed today. What makes this even more unusual is the opera’s universal appeal.

On Saturday night the Kennedy Center for Performing Arts was packed with ardent opera lovers who came to the Washington National Opera to enjoy one of Puccini’s most heartbreaking love stories, Manon Lescaut.

For the first time in twenty-five years, the Opera Company of Philadelphia has mounted a production of Puccini’s first great opera, Manon Lescaut. The result was an inspired testament to thoughtful direction by Michael Cavanagh, gorgeous sets and costumes by John Pascoe, and several winning performances.

Read our review of James Levine's production of Puccini­'s Manon Lescaut in its 2008 broadcast from the Met Opera in New York

Eine solide Vorstellung von Puccinis Oper, ganz ohne Taschentuchalarm, aber mit sehr guten Einzelleistungen. 

Barrie Kosky verzichtet bei der Züricher Manon auf Naturalismus und rückt die tragische Liebesgeschichte in den Vordergrund. Marco Armiliato glänzt einmal mehr als Puccini-Profi mit Gespür für die unterschiedlichen Stilelemente.

Pour cette dernière production de la saison lyrique monégasque, le duo propose une incarnation formidable des protagonistes de l'opéra puccinien.

Bei der Wiederaufnahme von Giacomo Puccinis Tränengarant ist es in einer halbgaren Inszenierung Asmik Grigorian, die für große Opernmomente sorgt.

Alex Ollé transportiert Puccinis unsterbliche Liebesgeschichte mit einer modernen und packenden Inszenierung in das 21. Jahrhundert.

Leider scheitern die guten Ideen des Regisseurs, Philipp Himmelmann, an der Umsetzung.

La velada del estreno arrancó decaída y mejoró hasta alcanzar un emotivo final.