L'elisir d'amore

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Gaetano Donizetti
A grayscale portrait of a man in his late thirties. He has wavy, dark hair and a neat mustache and beard.

L'elisir d'amore (The Elixir of Love) is an opera by the Italian composer Gaetano Donizetti. It is a melodramma giocoso in two acts. Felice Romani wrote the Italian libretto, after Eugène Scribe's libretto for Daniel Auber's Le philtre (1831).

Written in haste,[1] L'elisir d'amore was the most often performed opera in Italy between 1838 and 1848[2] and has remained continually in the international opera repertory. Today it is one of the most frequently performed of all Donizetti's operas: it appears as number 12 on the Operabase list of the most-performed operas worldwide.[3] There are a large number of recordings. It contains the popular tenor aria "Una furtiva lagrima," a romanza that has a considerable performance history in the concert hall.

Donizetti insisted on a number of changes from the original Scribe libretto. The most well known of these was the insertion of "Una furtiva lagrima", others are the duet between Adina and Nemorino in the first act, "Chiedi all'aura lusinghiera", and the rewritten lyrics to "Io son ricco e tu sei bella" in the final scene of the opera, where this duet, originally a song written by Dulcamara for the marriage of Adina and Belcore, reoccurs as a Dulcamara solo with scabrous lyrics, becoming the de facto final aria—a feature of many Donizetti operas.

In general, under Donizetti's hands, the subject became more romantic than in the Auber version: L'elisir d'amore features three big duets between the tenor and soprano. There is also personal history in the this opera. Donizetti's military service was bought by a rich woman, so that, unlike his brother Giuseppe (also a well known composer) he did not have to serve in the Austrian army.

Contents

Performance history[edit]

The premiere of L'elisir d'amore took place at the Teatro della Canobbiana, Milan on 12 May 1832. Today, the opera is part of the standard repertory.

Giuseppe Frezzolini as Dr Dulcamara

Roles[edit]

Role Voice type Premiere Cast,
12 May 1832
(Conductor: Alessandro Rolla)
Nemorino, a simple peasant, in love with Adina tenor Gianbattista Genero
Adina, a wealthy landowner soprano Sabine Heinefetter
Belcore, a sergeant baritone Henri-Bernard Dabadie
Dr Dulcamara, an itinerant medicine man bass Giuseppe Frezzolini
Giannetta, Adina's friend soprano Marietta Sacchi
Peasants, soldiers of Belcore's platoon

Synopsis[edit]

Front page of the libretto published by editions Ricordi.
Place: A small village in the Basque Country[4]
Time: The end of the 18th century

Act 1[edit]

Nemorino, a poor peasant, is in love with Adina, a beautiful landowner, who torments him with her indifference. When Nemorino hears Adina reading to her workers the story of Tristan and Isolde, he is convinced that a magic potion will help him to gain Adina's love. The self-important Sergeant Belcore appears with his regiment and immediately sets about courting Adina in front of everyone. Nemorino becomes anxious and, alone with Adina, declares his love for her. Yet Adina rebuffs him, saying she wants a different lover every day. Nemorino declares that his feelings will never change. The travelling quack doctor, Dulcamara (the self-proclaimed Dr. Encyclopedia), arrives, selling his bottled cure-all to the townspeople. Nemorino innocently asks Dulcamara if he has any of Isolde's love potion. Despite failing to recognise the name 'Isolde', Dulcamara's commercial talents nevertheless enable him to sell a bottle of the cure-all - in reality only cheap Bordeaux wine - to Nemorino.

"Dr. Dulcamara" (Andrew Foldi), an itinerant quack and purveyor of "elixirs" and other tonics, gestures to "Cochise" (Bruce Cooper), his sly trumpet playing assistant, to call together the townspeople as he sings his Act 1 (Scene 2) aria "Udite, udite, o rustici" ("Hear me, hear me, o peasants") in a performance of the Cincinnati Opera's noted 1968 "Wild West" production of L'Elisir d'Amore in which the 1832 opera's setting was moved from a village in the Basque country to 1870s Texas.

To make his escape, Dulcamara tells Nemorino the potion will not take effect for 24 hours — by which time, the doctor will be long gone. Nemorino drinks some, believing that he can feel its effects immediately. Emboldened by the elixir, Nemorino feigns indifference when he encounters Adina. She becomes increasingly annoyed; perhaps she has feelings for Nemorino after all? Belcore returns and proposes marriage to Adina. Still riled by Nemorino, Adina promises to marry Belcore in six days' time. Nemorino's confidence is sustained in the belief that the elixir will facilitate his conquest of Adina the following day. However, when Belcore learns that his regiment must leave the next morning, Adina promises to marry him before his departure. This of course panics Nemorino, who cries out for Dr. Dulcamara to come to his aid. Adina, meanwhile, invites everyone to the wedding.

Act 2[edit]

Adina and Belcore's wedding party is in full swing. Dr. Dulcamara encourages Adina to sing a duet with him to entertain the guests. The notary arrives to make the marriage official. Adina is annoyed to see that Nemorino has not appeared. While everyone goes to witness the signing of the wedding contract, Dulcamara stays behind, helping himself to food and drink. Having seen the notary, Nemorino appears, depressed, as he believes that he has lost Adina. He sees Dulcamara and frantically begs him for a more powerful, faster-acting elixir. Although Dulcamara is proud to boast of his philanthropy, upon discovering that Nemorino has no money he changes his tune and marches off, refusing to supply him anything. Belcore emerges, musing about why Adina has suddenly put off the wedding and signing the contract. He spots Nemorino and asks his rival why he is depressed. When Nemorino says he needs cash, Belcore suggests joining the army, as he'll receive funds on the spot. Belcore tries to excite Nemorino with tales of military life, while Nemorino dreams of winning fame and thus Adina. Belcore produces a contract, which Nemorino signs in return for the money. Nemorino privately vows to rush and buy more potion, while Belcore muses about how sending Nemorino off to war has so easily dispatched his rival.

After the two men have left, Giannetta gossips with the women of the village. Swearing them all to secrecy, she reveals that Nemorino's uncle has just died and left his nephew a large fortune. However, neither Nemorino nor Adina is yet aware of this. Nemorino enters, having spent his military signing bonus on - and consumed - a large amount of the fake elixir from Dr. Dulcamara. Hoping to share his fortune, the women approach Nemorino with overly friendly greetings. So out of character is this that Nemorino takes it as proof of the elixir's efficacy. Adina sees Nemorino with the women, is rattled by his newfound popularity and asks Dr. Dulcamara for an explanation. Unaware that Adina is the object of Nemorino's affection, Dulcamara explains that Nemorino spent his last penny on the elixir and joined the army for money to get more, so desperate was he to win the love of some unnamed cruel beauty. Adina immediately recognises Nemorino's sincerity, regrets her behaviour and realises that she has loved Nemorino all along. Although Dulcamara seizes the opportunity to try and sell her some of his potion to win back Nemorino, Adina declares that she has full confidence in her own powers of attraction.
"Una furtiva lagrima"
Sung by Enrico Caruso in 1911 for the Victor Talking Machine Company.
Problems playing this file? See media help.

Nemorino appears alone, pensive, reflecting on a tear he saw in Adina's eye when he was ignoring her earlier. Solely based on that, he convinces himself that Adina loves him. She enters and asks why he has chosen to join the army and leave the town. When Nemorino explains that he was seeking a better life, Adina responds that he is loved and that she has purchased back his military contract from Sergeant Belcore. She offers the cancelled contract to Nemorino and reassures him that, if he stays, he will be happy. As he takes the contract, Adina - ever the tease - turns to leave. Nemorino believes she is abandoning him and flies into a desperate fit, vowing that if he is not loved he might as well go off and die a soldier. Deeply moved by his fidelity, Adina finally declares that she will love Nemorino forever. Nemorino is ecstatic. Adina begs him to forgive her, which he does with a kiss. Belcore returns to see Nemorino and Adina in an embrace. When Adina explains that she loves Nemorino, the Sergeant takes the news in his stride, noting that there are plenty of other women in the world. Adina and Nemorino learn about the inheritance from his uncle. Dulcamara returns and boasts of the success of his elixir: Nemorino is now not only loved but also rich. He exults in the boost this will bring to the sales of his product. As he prepares to leave, everyone queues up to buy the elixir and hails Dulcamara as a great physician.

Noted arias[edit]

Act 1

  • Quanto è bella, quanto è cara/ "How beautiful she is" — Nemorino, Scene 1
  • Della crudele Isotta / "Of the cruel Isolda" — Adina, Scene 1
  • Come Paride vezzoso / "Just as the charming Paris" — Belcore, Scene 1
  • Udite, udite, o rustici / "Listen, listen, o peasants" — Doctor Dulcamara, Scene 2

Act 2

  • Barcarolle for Two Voices Io son ricco e tu sei bella / "I'm rich, and you are beautiful" - Dulcamara, Adina, Scene 1
  • Una furtiva lagrima / "A furtive tear" — Nemorino, Scene 2
  • Prendi, per me sei libero / "Take it, I have freed you" — Adina, Scene 2

Arrangements and adaptations[edit]

In 1840, Richard Wagner arranged the work for solo piano.[5] W. S. Gilbert wrote a burlesque adaptation of the opera, Dulcamara, or the Little Duck and the Great Quack, in 1866.[6]

Recordings[edit]

Year Cast
(Adina, Nemorino, Belcore, Dulcamara)		 Conductor,
Opera House and Orchestra		 Label[7][8]
1955 Hilde Gueden,
Giuseppe Di Stefano,
Renato Capecchi
Fernando Corena		 Francesco Molinari-Pradelli,
Maggio Musicale Fiorentino Orchestra and Chorus		 CD: Decca
Cat: 443542
1966 Roberta Peters,
Carlo Bergonzi,
Frank Guarrera,
Fernando Corena		 Thomas Schippers,
Metropolitan Opera Orchestra and Chorus
(Met Opera broadcast of 5 March 1966)		 CD: Sony Classical Cat: 90991-2
1967 Mirella Freni,
Nicolai Gedda,
Mario Sereni,
Renato Capecchi		 Francesco Molinari-Pradelli,
Rome Opera Orchestra and Chorus		 CD: EMI
Cat: CMS 7 69897 2
1970 Joan Sutherland,
Luciano Pavarotti,
Dominic Cossa
Spiro Malas		 Richard Bonynge,
English Chamber Orchestra
Ambrosian Opera Chorus		 CD: Decca
Cat: 424912-2
1977 Ileana Cotrubas,
Plácido Domingo,
Ingvar Wixell,
Sir Geraint Evans		 John Pritchard,
Royal Opera House
Covent Garden Orchestra and Chorus		 Audio CD: Sony Masterworks
Cat: 2796-96458-2
1982 Lucia Popp,
Peter Dvorsky,
Bernd Weikl,
Yevgeny Nesterenko		 Heinz Wallberg,
Bavarian Radio Chorus,
Munich Radio Orchestra		 Audio CD: RCA
Cat:
1986 Barbara Bonney,
Gösta Winbergh,
Bernd Weikl,
Rolando Panerai		 Gabriele Ferro,
Maggio Musicale Fiorentino Orchestra and Chorus		 CD: Deutsche Grammophon
Cat: B000458002
1990 Kathleen Battle,
Luciano Pavarotti,
Leo Nucci,
Enzo Dara		 James Levine,
Metropolitan Opera Orchestra and Chorus		 CD: Deutsche Grammophon
Cat: 429744
1996 Alessandra Ruffini,
Vincenzo La Scola,
Roberto Frontiali,
Simone Alaimo		 Piergiorgio Morandi,
Hungarian State Opera Orchestra and Chorus		 CD:Naxos
Cat: 8660045-46
1997 Angela Gheorghiu,
Roberto Alagna,
Roberto Scaltriti,
Simone Alaimo		 Evelino Pidò,
Lyon Opera Orchestra and Chorus		 CD:Decca
Cat: 455691
2006 Anna Netrebko,
Rolando Villazón,
Leo Nucci,
Ildebrando D'Arcangelo		 Alfred Eschwé,
Vienna State Opera Orchestra and Chorus		 DVD: Virgin Classics/EMI
Cat: 00946 363352 9
2007 Silvia Dalla Benetta,
Raùl Hernández,
Alex Esposito,
Damiano Salerno		 Alessandro De Marchi,
Teatro Donizetti, Bergamo Orchestra and Chorus		 DVD: Dynamic
Cat. 33577

References[edit]

Notes

  1. ^ "Composed in less than a month", according to The New Grove Masters of Italian Opera, 1983, p. 97
  2. ^ Ashbrook, Grove Music Online ed. L. Macy.
  3. ^ "Opera Statistics". Operabase. Retrieved 8 May 2011. 
  4. ^ But "in a small Italian Village" is noted in the Schirmer English edition of the score
  5. ^ Grove's Dictionary of Music and Musicians, 5th ed., 1954
  6. ^ "St. James's Theatre, The Era, 30 December 1866, p. 15
  7. ^ L'elisir d'amore discography from Stanford website
  8. ^ Recordings of Elixir on operadis-opera-discography.org.uk

Sources

  • Ashbrook, William, Donizetti and His Operas, Cambridge University Press, 1982, ISBN 0-521-23526-X
  • Holden, Amanda (Ed.), The New Penguin Opera Guide, New York: Penguin Putnam, 2001. ISBN 0-14-029312-4
  • Osborne, Charles, The Bel Canto Operas of Rossini, Donizetti, and Bellini, Portland, Oregon: Amadeus Press, 1994 ISBN 0-931340-71-3
  • Schirmer, G. L'elisir D'amore in Collection of Opera Librettos, 1990/91
  • Weinstock, Herbert, Donizetti and the World of Opera in Italy, Paris, and Vienna in the First Half of the Nineteenth Century, New York: Octagon, 1963, 1979. ISBN 978-0-374-98337-6 OCLC 5219645

External links[edit]

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