Puccini's Manon is currently being performed in Madrid, directed by Carlos Wagner. This production sets the story in the 1950s, though some anachronisms have been noted, such as references to the deportation of prostitutes to Louisiana, a practice that had already ended by that time. The set design includes a carousel in the first act, where Manon arrives and temporarily flees on a wooden horse, symbolizing her youthful carefreeness. In the second act, the carousel is replaced by columns of a palace embedded with bulbs, serving as the backdrop for a pole dance class where Manon is accompanied by two dancers in white underwear, tailcoats, and top hats. In the third act, the set becomes a cage where the criminal is locked up, and in the final act, a rotating stage platform topped with a black hole slowly descends over the dying woman. Some have criticized the reuse of the slick and sticky floor from Le Havre in the final act, questioning the believability of dying of thirst there. The direction of the actors is described as careful, with dramatic scenes well rehearsed. The production includes scenes where Manon dominates by riding and lashing Géronte, and Des Grieux threatens her with a whip during their reunion, adding to the characters' excess in a relevant way. The decision to have prostitutes align and undress before their embarkation is noted as a good idea, though the reason for them wandering in the desert with the two lovers is less clear. Seeing Des Grieux address each one as if it were Manon while they die one after another diverts attention from the real Manon and dissipates the suffocating solitude of the ending. The success of the production also lies in the quality of the orchestra, with the direction by Nicolas Luisotti revealing its qualities and precision, especially in the excitement accompanying the arrival of the police and in a superb intermezzo. The performance of the choir is described as lively and careful. On the vocal stage, Alejandro del Cerro's tone is worn out, and his air of Edmond is not without difficulties, though his Italian is excellent and his performance is convincing. Mercedes Gancedo's androgynous softness and beautiful vocal bearing in the role of the Musician are admired. Lucas Meachem's performance as Lescaut is described as irregular, with some difficulty in the final scene. Pietro Spagnoli's Géronte is noted for sovereign phrasing and impeccable style. Michael Fabiano's Knight is lively and unrestrained but lacks subtlety, causing the lover to sink into whining. Sondra Radvanovsky's interpretation of Manon is questioned in terms of juvenility, with her coquetry and skips in the first act contradicted by a thick voice that suffers from an invasive vibrato. However, she is more suitable for the role of the desperate vain woman in the later acts, with her performance in "In quelle trine morbide" being stunning due to her gigantic high notes and dramatic temperament. Her pronunciation remains masticated, and the upper middle range is not free from squeaks, but few can alternate with such appropriateness and contrast the two "Non m'ami più," one torrential, the other stifled. In "Sola, perduta, abbandonata," she is overwhelming, with the violence of the words carving directly into her vocal material.