Composer Giacomo Puccini Librettists Ruggero Leoncavallo and Marco Praga and Domenico Oliva and Giuseppe Giacosa and Giulio Ricordi and Luigi Illica Based On a novel "L'Histoire du Chevalier des Grieux et de Manon Lescaut" by the Abbé Prévost Company San Francisco Opera Association Touring Location Los Angeles, CA Venue Shrine Auditorium Season 1956 Language Italian Creative/Crew Conductor Oliviero De Fabritiis Stage Director(s) Carlo Maestrini Chorus Director Gianni Lazzari Costumers Goldstein & Co. Cast Manon Lescaut Dorothy Kirsten Chevalier des Grieux Jussi Bjoerling Lescaut, Sergeant of the King's Guards Frank Guarrera Geronte de Ravoir, Treasurer-General Lorenzo Alvary Edmund, a Student Caesar Curzi Musician Margaret Roggero Dancing Master Alessio De Paolis Lamplighter Virginio Assandri Sea Captain Carl Palangi Sergeant Heinz Blankenburg Innkeeper Colin Harvey Show Dates Fri, Oct 19 1956, 8:30pm Time and Place France during the Eighteenth Century Scenes Act I -- A Square in Amiens Act II -- Manon's Room in Geronte's House, Paris Act III -- The Harbor of Le Havre Act IV -- A Plain near New Orleans Notes "Manon Lescaut" opened San Francisco Opera's 1956 season. Flowers by Podesta Baldocchi