Experience a masterclass in grace, beauty and elegance as Kenneth MacMillan’s acclaimed Manon makes a welcome return to the Royal Opera House.

Manon Lescaut is a beautiful young woman who falls prey to the moral corruption of 18th-century Paris. Director Kenneth MacMillan brings Manon’s story vividly to life, with his ballet, which evokes the brutality and decadence described in Abbé Prévost’s infamous novel, as well as the feckless character of Manon herself – torn between love for the poet Des Grieux and her desire for money and attention. The cast of complex characters includes the callous Monsieur GM, the swaggering Jailer, Manon’s roguish brother Lescaut and his coquettish Mistress, but at the ballet’s heart are the duets MacMillan created for Manon and Des Grieux, which are among the most emotionally intense and erotically charged ever choreographed.