Kenneth MacMillan's Manon at La Scala: A Violent Masterpiece

Stefano Tomassini reviews Kenneth MacMillan's ballet 'L'histoire de Manon' at Teatro alla Scala in Milan, performed in 2018. He argues that 20th-century ballet, epitomized by MacMillan's work, is impure, violent, and erotic, contrasting with romantic ballet. The ballet, set to music by Jules Massenet and based on Abbé Prévost's 1731 novel, tells the story of Manon, a 16-year-old sold by her brother Lescaut to a rich protector, leading to betrayal, arrest, deportation, and death in Louisiana. Tomassini criticizes the Scala production for being rushed, lacking interpretive depth, and reducing the work to pantomime. He praises specific dancers: Walter Madau as Lescaut, Massimo Garon as Monsieur G.M., and Claudio Coviello and Emanuela Montanari as the leads, though notes Coviello's princely image limits his performance. Tomassini calls for the ballet company to embrace contemporary choreography to revitalize its approach to 20th-century repertoire.