Leyla Gencer Archive

MANON

Jules Massenet (1842 - 1912)

Opera in five acts in French

Libretto: Meilhac & Gille
Premièr at Opéra Comique, Paris – 19 January 1884

02 November 1958

Civic Theater, Pasadena

Conductor: Jean Fournet

Chorus master: Gianni Lazzari

Stage director: Enrico Frigerio

Costumes: Goldstein & Co.
Choreographer: Eugene Loring

Manon Lescaut LEYLA GENCER soprano
Chevalier des Grieux RICHARD LEWIS tenor
Count des Grieux, his father LORENZO ALVARY bass
Lescaut Manon's cousin LOUIS QULICO baritone
Guillot Morfontaine, a roué Howard Fried tenor
De Bretigny a nobleman John Gillaspy baritone
Poussette Sylvia Stahlman soprano
Javotte Joan Marie Moynagh soprano
Rosette Margot Blum soprano
Innkeeper Eugene Green
Maid Pauline Pappas
First Guard Robert Thomas
Second Guard Harold Enns
Attendant at St. Sulpice Max Lorenzini
Sergeant Winther Andersen

Time: 1721

Place: Amines, Paris, Havre

THE LOS ANGELES TIMES

1958.05.01

THE LOS ANGELES TIMES

1958.06.29

THE COVINA ARGUS CITIZEN

1958.09.18

THE LOS ANGELES TIMES

1958.09.21

OPERA NEWS

1958.09.23

THE REGISTER

1958.06.25

INDEPENDENT STAR-NEWS

1958.10.12

INDEPENDENT STAR-NEWS

1958.10.19

STAR-NEWS

1958.10.23

COVINA ARGUS CITIZEN

1958.10.23

INDEPENDENT STAR-NEWS

1958.10.26

INDEPENDENT STAR-NEWS
1958.10.26

THE LOS ANGELES TIMES
1958.10.27

INDEPENDENT STAR-NEWS

1958.11.02

THE LOS ANGELES TIMES

1958.11.02

INDEPENDENT STAR-NEWS

1958.11.03

WHO SAID OPERA'S HIGH BROW?

Nearly 3,000

Hail 'Manon'

Music Fans Jam Civic Auditorium

Performance of "Manon" by the San Francisco Opera Company on the Pasadena Civic Auditorium stage last night is not a story to be relegated to the society page.

True, Pasadena's traditional white haired and white-kid-gloved opera goers made their entrances in furs and jewels. But they made up only one piece of the kaleidoscopic crowd that filled nearly 3,000 seats.

A man in a black velvet. suit strolled in the foyer as the lights dimmed for the overture, while in contrast another man wore grey tweeds and dirty saddle. shoes, Youngsters in starched organdie held, parents' hands as uniformed" usherettes led them to seats.

Love of Massenet's familiar music, its melodies first heard in Paris in 1884, rather than a desire to see and be seen, attracted Pasadenas and cut-of towners alike to the one-night performance.

Distinguished and grey-haired Jean Fournet took over the podium. He had made his first Southern California appearance in the Los Angeles performance of the San Francisco company's 'presentation of "La Boheme."

Leyla Gencer sang the title role of Manon Lescaut, the fickle French girl who dies, in her lover's arms. Richard: Lewis enacted Des Grieux, who loved Manon. not wisely but too well.

The San Francisco company returns to Los Angeles' Shrine Auditorium to complete its Southern California engagement tomorrow through Sunday.

Now in their 36th annual season in the area, the company drew high praise.

Independent, Star News music critic Gustav Albrecht has termed it "easily the equal of Metropolitan." He found fault only with the brevity of the season here and the poor acoustics of the Los Angeles setting.

No such complaint marred the listening pleasure of Pasadena operagoers.

Auditorium manager Elmer Wilson reported the balcony sold out and only 100 seats unoccupied on the main floor.

Prominent among the Pasadena opera patrons attending were Bess Adam and Mrs. Halston S. Holmes, accompanied by their daughter Mrs. Irving Camp of Santa Barbara.

Mrs. Holmes was in regal black lace, her daughter in a black [………] Italian silk. Both gowns were in short length.

Comparatively few gowns railed over the auditorium’s patterned carpets as the crowd gathered at intermission to smoke and chat.

Mrs. Alfred Wright, accompanied by M's Richard J. Schwepps of Los Angeles, wore a short evening dress of black chiffon.

Black lace use [………] Mrs Weatcott, W. Price Jr. and a deep red, and green Holga print challis by Mrs. Donald R. Wright. They, with the Charles Mounts, had dined at the Wrights’ home before the performance.

[………] by Mrs. William Lake, who was accompanied by Mr. Lake.

One of the most striking gowns seen, and one of the four floor length dresses, was Mrs. Derlus Keaton's Adele Simpson black lace sheath which belled [………] a trumpet silhouette at the hemline. The San Marino socialite and her husband also were in the Simpson son party. [Marjorie Krieg]

Photo I: Soprano Leyla Gencer finishes her makeup for tittle role of Manon Lescaut.

Photo II: Operagoers Messrs. And Mmes. Robert N. Simpson (left) and James Carpenter (right) enter Civic Auditorium to hear “Manon”.

THE LOS ANGELES EVENING CITIZEN
1958.11.03