L'elisir d'amore - Schedule, Program & Tickets

Text Felice Romani
Melodramma giocoso in two acts


Cast

Musical direction
Francesco Ivan Ciampa

Staging
Otto Schenk

Stage and costumes
Jürgen Rose

Adina
Florina Ilie

Nemorino
Xabier Anduaga

Belcore
Clemens Unterreiner

Doktor Dulcamara
Alex Esposito

Giannetta
Miriam Kutrowatz


Contents

The young, penniless Nemorino is willing to sacrifice everything to acquire what he thinks is a love potion. The latter is supposed to win him the affection of Adina, who finally, moved by so much emotionally naive devotion, but not only out of noble motives, actually accepts him.

It is a warm, southern light in which Otto Schenk immerses his love potion production: Here the story of Adina and Nemorino is told, which has always been one of Donizetti's greatest successes. With a loving eye, the composer designed an ironic village idyll with precisely drawn types, which he always takes touchingly seriously in their happiness and pain.



ACTION

ACT 1

Adina, tenant farmer in a rather remote village, is young, rich - and well-read. Penniless Nemorino admires her. She recites a touching version of the story of Tristan and Isolde to the country folk, but finds it rather amusing: Tristan, whom Isolde does not love, receives a love potion from a miracle worker, the magic of which conquers Isolde's heart. Adina is glad that such potions no longer exist. Nemorino, who loves her deeply - although he is not listened to - listened attentively. Sergeant Belcore moves in and takes up quarters with his soldiers. He is gallant towards Adina, but immediately demands her love. The capricious Adina, however, is not so easy to win over. Nemorino manages to reaffirm how much he loves Adina. However, she rejects him, saying that she wants to remain free and unbound. Then, with some fuss, Dulcamara arrives, posing as a widely famous miracle doctor and praising his remedies for all imaginable ailments. The peasants let themselves be talked into. Finally, Nemorino asks the quack if he also has a love potion with him. Dulcamara immediately sees through the situation and sells the coveted elixir to the grateful Nemorino for his entire cash. This only works after 24 hours, says Dulcamara as a precaution; he sold the unsuspecting Nemorino nothing but a bottle of Bordeaux wine. Nemorino drinks it immediately and his mood improves noticeably. He pretends to be disinterested in Adina. Now she may woo him. Adina doesn't like this sudden change of heart either. She wants to find out whether Nemorino's feelings for her have actually cooled off and explains without further ado that she wants to marry Belcore, but today, because the sergeant has to move on tomorrow morning. Nemorino, for the time being still confident of victory - building on his elixir - is now completely taken aback. This is not how he imagined the effect of the love potion.

ACT 2

The wedding is being prepared. Dulcamara plays an improvised Venetian love scene with Adina. The notary appears with the marriage contract, but Adina doesn't want to sign it until later. Nemorino wants a second bottle of the Miracle Elixir from Dulcamara. That could be done if Nemorino could pay, but he doesn't have a dime anymore. In desperation, he has Belcore enlist him as a soldier and immediately procures the second bottle for the bounty money he has received. The supposed love potion works unexpectedly quickly: a whole crowd of girls flatters Nemorino. That doesn't surprise him particularly, since he has already poured his elixir vigorously. However, he does not suspect the true background of the wonderful affection: Giannetta has spread the secret news that Nemorino's very wealthy uncle has died and has made him sole heir. Nemorino finds the girl company extremely agreeable. He ignores Adina, which arouses her jealousy. She learns from Dulcamara why Nemorino let himself be recruited. The quack now offers her the love potion. But she refuses, because she knows a better way to win over Nemorino, to whom she is very fond: her eyes. Nemorino thinks he saw a secret tear in Adina's eyes. Does she love him after all? After his beautiful romance, Adina herself gives him certainty: she confesses her love to him and hands him back the recruitment decree; she paid back Belcore's bounty and ransomed Nemorino. Belcore finds his bride in someone else's arms. Although he is disappointed, he puts on a good face to the bad game, because there would be enough girls for a soldier like him. Nemorino and Adina are only now hearing about the inheritance. Dulcamara uses the situation for himself. He boasts of his art, thanks to which Nemorino has achieved both his love and fortune.



Subject to change.