Sir Kenneth MacMillan’s ballet is based on the 18th-century novel L’Histoire du Chevalier des Grieux et de Manon Lescaut by Abbe Prevost, which was also the inspiration for Massenet’s opera Manon Lescaut. It’s the story of beautiful Manon, who falls for the young nobleman des Grieux, but who can’t resist the luxurious life provided by her rich lovers.

Exposed by a jealous protector, and convicted of prostitution, she is deported to a French penal colony in Louisiana. Des Grieux accompanies her, kills the gaoler who has raped her, and escapes with her into the swamps, where, worn out by her experiences, she dies in his arms.

No wonder this scenario appealed to MacMillan, the master of the intricately expressive, sexy duet! He made it for the Royal Ballet in 1974. I asked Wayne Eagling why he was so keen that his company should have the work.

“I wanted to bring it to the regions. When I was dancing in the Royal Ballet we used to take in on tour, but it hasn’t been seen on tour for years and years. I also wanted the dancers of the company to experience MacMillan’s dramatic ballet, which is very unlike being the Prince in Swan Lake or Sleeping Beauty. It’s real people and real characters, and I wanted the dancers to get the feeling that I had when I was in it.

“I think it is something that will enrich the repertory, because I was worried that we were just doing Swan Lake, Sleeping Beauty, Giselle and Romeo (as full-length works ) and every year The Nutcracker. So the idea, when I first came three years ago, was to expand the full-evening repertory; which is why I asked Michael Corder to make The Snow Queen, and Manon just seemed to be perfect for a company that has such riches in dancers who can act.”

In the Royal Ballet’s version, Wayne Eagling, pictured below, played des Grieux, with fellow Canadian Jennifer Penney as Manon. The other pairing was the now legendary partnership of Antoinette Sibley and Anthony Dowell. What was it like working with the late Sir Kenneth, I wondered?

“When Kenneth came (in 1970) I was still in the corps, but he quite liked me. For me it was the challenge of doing all this new, complicated choreography and trying to do it in my own way and not copy Anthony Dowell in the interpretation. Just getting through it was hard — I was still quite young.

“Some of it was made up by Jennifer Penney and me. Kenneth was a genius choreographer, but if you were at the back fiddling around with something while he was working, he would see something that interested him and say ‘what did you do there?’. So some things in Manon started as Jennifer Penney and I messing around.

“When you worked with MacMillan you felt you were creating the steps. It was nice to be part of that moment of history in the Royal Ballet, and not yet realising how good he was. Kenneth really pushed me — from being a spear-carrier in Giselle I went to doing the lead in a major new ballet.”

The 1970s were a golden age for the Royal Ballet. Right now it seems English National Ballet are at a great peak, with a whole range of highly talented dancers able to take on a difficult work like Manon. I asked Wayne how his company had learnt the work.

“I had to get people who remembered the work to pass it on to my dancers, so I asked Antoinette Sibley to come and coach the girls, and David Wall to coach the Lescauts. (Wall was originally cast as Manon’s corrupt brother, and almost stole the show!).

“We had Monica Parker, who had noted the whole thing in Benesch notation while Kenneth was making it, so she taught the whole ballet and gave a complete breakdown of each character and why they were doing these steps. I remember every step of des Grieux, I remember the nuances and the timing that Kenneth wanted, so there’s a whole wealth of people who remember the ballet.”

Manon is a work that’s full of life, as we visit the decadent salons and dubious establishments of the 18th century.

At its centre is a story of a woman torn between love and wealth, with some of the most dazzlingly beautiful duets and expressive dancing you can see anywhere.

Wayne summed up its appeal.

“I think it involves you emotionally. At the end of the ballet you’ve gone through a whole drama, and it’s as good as any ballet. It’s as good as going to see Swan Lake, but it’s more modern.

“You can relate to it much more, particularly if you’re not a big ballet-goer, in human terms, because it’s not a fairytale. It’s exciting, it’s emotional and there’s not a dry eye in the house at the end if it’s a good performance.”

Manon runs at the New Theatre from Tuesday until Saturday. Box office: 0844 8471585. Website: newtheatreoxford.org.uk