"MacMillan's three-act ballet Manon is not just one of the great showpieces of The Royal Ballet, for whom it was created, but also now of the classical ballet repertory worldwide.

The story itself is famous, following the trials of a young girl, Manon, torn between her impetuous love for the student Des Grieux and her desire for wealth and comfort as a kept woman of rich men. The two central roles are perfect to bring out the skill and dramatic power of any dancers, especially with MacMillan's memorable duets that expose the raw emotional currents of the doomed love affair in intense and adult fashion, and with this revival come several debuts in them from up-and-coming leading dancers of The Royal Ballet.

Through it all is appealing and expressive music drawn from Massenet, skilfully woven into a ballet score that alternates the sensuous and the dramatic. A moral tale on adult themes brings real depth to the drama, but above all Manon offers a chance to enjoy the very best of world-class ballet."