Manon

A devastating love story of desire and temptation

One of Sir Kenneth MacMillan’s most celebrated works, Manon follows the rise and heartbreaking fall of a young woman torn between true love and the temptation of endless riches. Passion, betrayal and the fragility of the human heart collide in this timeless masterpiece.

Brought to life by the unparalleled artistry of The Australian Ballet's full company, Manon delivers exquisite technicality, lavish staging, and raw emotion in a story you’ll carry with you long after the final bow.

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Sydney / Warrang
30 April – 17 May 2025
Melbourne / Naarm
10 – 22 October 2025
Content Advisory
Manon contains mature themes including sexually explicit content and depictions of violence. Recommended for ages 15+

Duration
2 hours and 45 minutes / 2 Intervals

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800x11203 — Principal Artists Benedicte Bemet and Joseph Caley
Photo Simon Eeles

800x11204 — Principal Artist Benedicte Bemet
Photo Simon Eeles

"Manon is an exceptional piece ... and enables the Australian Ballet to show off the full gamut of their talent."
- Australian Stage

"There is barely a superfluous step in Kenneth MacMillan’s masterful choreography."
- Theatre People

Sir Kenneth MacMillan’s adaptation of Abbé Prévost’s 1731 novel, Manon is a tragic romance unlike any other in ballet.

From the echelons of high society 18th-century Paris to the gritty streets of New Orleans, Manon tells a story of a young girl desperate to rise above her lowly origins, seduced by wealth and the power it affords her. Forced to choose between her true love, the penniless des Grieux, or a life of lavish splendour, Manon is ultimately undone by her desires.

Manon premiered in 1974 at the Royal Opera House in London and has been in The Australian Ballet’s repertoire since 1994. It is a powerful classical ballet that exposes the immense class divide, where the rich and powerful exploit the desperate and destitute.

Set to Jules Massenet’s haunting score as arranged by Martin Yates, Manon is a vivid production about escaping poverty and the price of true love.

David Hallberg's insight

"The duets in this ballet are some of the greatest ever created. When I danced them, it was just my partner and myself together, falling in passionate love with the audience as voyeurs to our love story."

Content Advisory

Manon contains mature adult themes including sexually explicit content and depictions of violence that some audiences may find confronting. Contains theatrical weapons, gunshot, theatrical fog and haze effects. Recommended for mature audiences 15+

Production credits

Choreography Sir Kenneth MacMillan
Staged by Laura Morera and Gregory Mislin
Composer Jules Massenet orchestrated and arranged by Martin Yates
Set and costume design Peter Farmer
Lighting design Jacopo Pantani
Relighter Jason Morphett