Recommended for Grades 6-12
In this resource, you will:
- Learn the opera’s background and synopsis
- Meet the opera’s composer
The Elixir of Love
by Gaetano Donizetti
The Elixir of Love
by Gaetano Donizetti
A quick overview of Donizetti’s 1832 operatic melodramma giocoso.
Background
Written after the premiere of Ugo, conte di Parigi, Donizetti composed L’elisir d’amore in the space of a month. Felice Romani’s libretto was based on Eugène Scribe’s text for Daniel-François-Esprit Auber’s Le Philtre (1831).
Although he made revisions up until the last minute before the censors’ review, which was typically held at the dress rehearsal, Donizetti had no reason to be concerned as the opera was an immediate success. L’elisir d’amore enjoyed a triumphant run throughout Italy, where it was the most frequently performed opera between 1838 and 1848, and eventually Vienna, Berlin, London, New York, and Paris.
With its sumptuous arias and lighthearted comedy, L’elisir d’amore remains one of the most popular Donizetti works in the opera repertoire.
Synopsis
Act I
Giannetta and the other villagers rest from their work at harvest in the fields, which belong to the rich and capricious Adina. The hapless Nemorino casts lovesick glances towards her, but she takes no notice of him at all. Adina looks up from her book to entertain the villagers with the story of Tristan and Isolde and how a love potion brought those legendary lovers together.
The swaggering Sgt. Belcore leads his platoon into town. After a cursory look around, he presents Adina with flowers and immediately demands her hand in marriage. Amused, she tells Belcore that she will have to think about it. Nemorino is unable to conceal his jealousy. When he has the opportunity, he reveals his affections to Adina. She tells him that he is very nice, but that she is fickle and will never love him.
Dr. Dulcamara arrives in town. He tells the villagers that he has cures for all sorts of ailments. Recalling the tale of Tristan, Nemorino buys a bottle of supposed love potion from the quack doctor. Nemorino drinks the potion (actually a bottle of Bordeaux), which Dulcamara says will take effect in 24 hours.
With complete confidence in the elixir’s powers, Nemorino now thinks he can feign indifference to Adina as he sits back and waits for the potion to take its effect on her.
Belcore shows up to renew his suit with Adina. She flippantly suggests that they can marry within a week. Nemorino is amused, thinking that Adina will be his the very next day. Vexed at Nemorino’s inexplicable change of heart, Adina declares she will marry Belcore that very day. Nemorino’s newfound confidence is lost.
Act II
The wedding feast begins, but Adina delays the actual wedding because Nemorino is not present to witness the ceremony. Nemorino, meanwhile, is both penniless and desperate to buy more of Dulcamara’s magic elixir, which has yet to take any effect. Nemorino enlists in Belcore’s regiment when he hears about the commission he will receive when he signs up. For his part, Belcore is delighted at the prospect of both gaining a new recruit and ridding himself of his closest rival for Adina’s affections. Nemorino heads out to find Dulcamara.
Meanwhile, Giannetta spreads the news that Nemorino’s wealthy uncle has died and left him a considerable fortune. This arouses new interest in Nemorino by the village girls, who surround him and flirt with him. Unaware of his substantial inheritance, Nemorino attributes this to the second dose of Dulcamara’s elixir.
Adina comes upon this scene, surprised to see that Nemorino is no longer heartbroken. She learns of both the potion and Nemorino’s enlistment. Touched by the great lengths to which he has gone to capture her affections and reflecting on Nemorino’s undeniable goodness of heart, Adina realizes that she does indeed return Nemorino’s feelings. She buys back his enlistment papers and declares her love for him.
Dulcamara gleefully insists that his magic potion is the reason for Nemorino’s dramatic reversal of fortune. Departing in triumph, the doctor is hailed by everyone in the village as a hero.
Christian Scanniello
Meet the Artists
Read the Student Guide
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Listen to the Story
Stephen Costello, Ailyn Pérez, Simone Alberghini in The Elixir of Love [Scott Suchman for Washington National Opera].
Presented by Washington National Opera, host Saul Lilienstein takes you through the musical world of Donizetti’s 1832 opera, The Elixir of Love.
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