Manon, a winsome girl with dangerously innocent allure, gives in to the temptation of wealth and becomes calculating and corrupt. For her brother Lescaut she is a bargaining chip, for old Monsieur G. M. she is an object of desire, for the student des Grieux she is pure and simple love.

L’histoire de Manon by Kenneth MacMillan gives new life to the character created by Prévost and popularized through opera, delineating the allure and tragedy of the protagonist and crafting splendid male roles in an exhilarating and engaging ballet, which captivates audiences at the dramatic, psychological, and choreographic levels. Fifty years after its debut, it has lost none of its dramatic and theatrical power.