Gaetano Donizetti’s L’elisir d’amore (Elixir of Love)
Composed:1832
First Performance:May 12, 1832 Teatro Canabbiana, Milan (Italy)
Language: Italian
Libretto:Felice Romani after Eugène Scribe’s text for Auber’s opera Le Philtre, which was based on Silvio Malaperta’s play, Il filtro.
Setting:A Basque village in the 19th century
Opera buffa, Comic opera in 2 acts
The Main Characters in L’elisir d’amore (Elixer of Love):
- Adina, a young, rich girl from the country (soprano)
- Nemorino, a poor farmer, in-love with Adina (tenor)
- Sergeant Belcore, a visiting soldier (baritone)
- Dr. Dulcamara, a traveling quack doctor (basso buffo)
- Giannetta, a village girl (soprano)
Basic Plot Summary of L’elisir d’amore (Elixir of Love):
Act I
Nemorino and the other farm workers listen as Adina tells the story of Tristan and Isolde. (and their love potion) Nemorino knows that it is impossible to be in-love with such a beautiful and smart woman. Sgt. Belcore arrives and is struck with Adina’s beauty, giving her a flower and proposing to her that they should marry at once. Nemorino tells Adina of his love for her, but she laughs and urges him to find someone else, claiming that she is too fickle. A quack doctor, Dulcamara, arrives and Nemorino (who remembers the Tristan and Isolde story from earlier) asks him if he happens to have any of Isolde’s love-potion. Dulcamara sells Nemorino a bottle of “love-potion,” (The Elixir of Love) which is actually just some cheap wine. Dulcamara claims that the “Elixir of Love” will work within 24 hours. Nemorino drinks the bottle of Elixir, and now is quite confident (and quite tipsy). Nemorino sees Adina agree to marry Belcore within a week. Belcore receives orders that he is to leave in the morning, so Adina moves up the wedding, crushing Nemorino
Act II
With Nemorino not in attendance, the wedding is delayed. Nemorino, who is penniless, is desperate for more love potion. He enlists in the regiment and takes the money he earns from enlisting to purchase another bottle of potion. After drinking the second bottle of wine the village girls all begin to swarm around him. They have heard the news (which Nemorino has yet to hear) that his rich uncle has died, leaving him with a hefty inheritance. Nemorino assumes that the attention is due to his second bottle of Elixir. Dulcamara tells Adina about the love potion and even offers her some. She refuses, saying that she has no need for such a potion. She realizes that she has loved Nemorino all along. On his way to join the regiment, Nemorino spots a tear in Adina’s eye and knows that she loves him, too. Adina purchases Nemorino’s freedom from his army commission. The village celebrates the good fortunes of the "Elixir of Love" and Dulcamara sells his remaining wine to the villagers who are convinced that the love potion works.
Other Operas written by Gaetano Donizetti:
- Anna Bolena
- Lucia di Lammermoor
- Lucrezia Borgia
- Maria Stuarda
- La Fille du Régiment
- La Favorite
- Don Pasquale
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