Manon: Estonian National Ballet

About the Event

A rare chance to see Kenneth MacMillan's ballet, originally created for the Royal Ballet and performed only by the world's top companies.

Kenneth MacMillan’s ballet to Jules Massenet’s beautiful music introduces 18th century life and strata – from aristocrats to social outcasts. The music of the ballet has been arranged by Leighton Lucas and Hilda Gaunt who have used a number of Massenet’s works but not his eponymous opera. The audience will hear extracts from thirteen Massenet’s operas (including Le Cid, Chérubin, Cinderella and Don Quixote), also from his oratorios, salon songs (Elegy), songs and orchestral suites (Scénes dramatiques and Scénes pittoresques).

Kenneth MacMillan created one of the most popular ballets of the 20th century for the Royal Ballet in 1974. Since then, Manon has been performed by top ballet companies only, as the dancing technique of the dancers has to be of high level.


Choreographer‐Stage Director: Kenneth MacMillan
Stager: Karl Burnett (England)
Music Director and Conductor: Risto Joost
Conductor: Mihhail Gerts
Arrangement: Martin Yates (UK)
Designer: Mia Stensgaard (The Royal Danish Ballet)
Assistant to the Designer: Maja Ziska (The Royal Danish Ballet)
Lighting Designer: David Richardson (England)