Manon Lescaut (Italian: [maˈnɔn leˈsko]) is an Italian-language opera in four acts composed by Giacomo Puccini between 1889 and 1892 to a libretto by Luigi Illica, Marco Praga and Domenico Oliva [it], based on the 1731 novel Histoire du Chevalier des Grieux, et de Manon Lescaut by Abbé Prévost.

The libretto is in Italian, and was cobbled together by five librettists whom Puccini employed: Ruggero Leoncavallo, Marco Praga, Giuseppe Giacosa, Domenico Oliva [it] and Luigi Illica.

However, it was Illica and Giacosa who completed the libretto and went on to contribute the libretti to Puccini's next three – and most successful – works, La Bohème, Tosca and Madama Butterfly.

For example, the madrigal Sulla vetta tu del monte from act 2 echoes the Agnus Dei from his 1880 Messa a quattro voci.

Other elements of Manon Lescaut come from his compositions for strings: the quartet Crisantemi (January 1890), three Menuets (probably 1884)[2] and a Scherzo (1883?).

Puccini's publisher, Ricordi, had been against any project based on Prévost's story because Jules Massenet had already made it into a successful opera, Manon, in 1884.

While Puccini and Ricordi may not have known it, the French composer Daniel Auber had also already written an opera on the same subject with the title Manon Lescaut, in 1856.

"[3][4] The first performance of Manon Lescaut took place in the Teatro Regio in Turin on 1 February 1893; it was Puccini's third opera and his first great success.

It is evening, townspeople, soldiers and a crowd of male students and girls stroll through the avenue and square while others gather in groups.

They joke with him and provoke him to feign flirtation with the girls (des Grieux: Tra voi, belle, brune e bionde – Among you beauties, dark and fair); (Edmondo, chorus: Ma, bravo!).

A postillion horn is heard and the carriage from Arras pulls up at the Inn, as the crowd peers in to see who the passengers are (Chorus: Giunge il cocchio d'Arras!

The crowd comments (Chorus, Edmondo, Lescaut, des Grieux, Geronte: Discendono, vediam!

Lescaut and Geronte descend and converse in the square about Manon's fate, observed by Edmondo.

On hearing his fellow traveller's opinion, Lescaut begins to reconsider his task of escorting his sister to the convent.

Geronte observes that Lescaut is preoccupied with the game and discloses his plan to abduct Manon and take her to Paris to the Innkeeper, offering him money for assistance and his silence.

He offers to help des Grieux, arranging for the card players to keep Lescaut occupied.

He declares his love for her and advises her of the plot to abduct her, while Edmondo arranges for the carriage Geronte has hired to take the couple to Paris.

Musicians hired by Geronte enter to amuse her (Madrigal: Sulla vetta tu del monte); (Manon, Lescaut: Paga costor).

Dismayed that his sister is unhappy living with Geronte, Lescaut goes to find des Grieux.

As des Grieux and Manon renew their vows of love, Geronte returns unexpectedly.

); (des Grieux: "Ah, manon, mi tradisce il tuo folle pensiero).

His various efforts to have Manon released and even to free her by force having failed, des Grieux follows her to Le Havre.

The crowd makes brutal comments during the roll call of the courtesans (Chorus, Lescaut, des Grieux, Manon: All'armi!