Giacomo Puccini composed his opera ‘Manon Lescaut’ in 1893 and it became together with ‘Tosca’ his first outstanding success. ‘Manon Lescaut’ is a devastating depiction of a woman wrestling with her desire for love on her own terms, and the rigid double standards imposed on her by society. The opera was a breakthrough hit for Puccini, and is packed with memorable music and heartbreaking drama. Dutch arranger Christiaan Janssen used some of the most beautiful music from ‘Manon Lescaut’ to compile a small suite for Symphonic Band.