L'ELISIR D'AMORE (The Elixir of Love)

A two act opera by Gaetano Donnizetti, libretto by Felice Romani.

Cast of Characters

Act I

Love-lorn Nemorino is captivated by the beautiful and witty heroine Adina. She, however, is reticent to make any commitment and tramples Nemorino's affectionate protestations. Enter the swaggering sergeant Belcore whose proposal to Adina meets with more success. The village is aroused by the entrance of a quack, Doctor Dulcamara. The naive peasants quickly elevate the doctor to the status of a sage (here is a salesman who can play a trump card to perfection). In truth, the doctor is selling an elixir that does it all and adds Nemorino to his list of dupes!

Nemorino sets out with new-found confidence, and soon surprises Adina. She sets this latest embodiment of the buffoonish village Romeo straight by agreeing to more impatient demands of the wooing Sgt. Belcore that they be married the very next day!

Act II

The second act opens at the pre-nuptial feast with Dr Dulcamara an honoured guest. Nemorino, meanwhile, is desperate that the potion does not seem to be working. He goes to the Doctor for another dose, but finally has to agree to enlist in Belcore's regiment in order to use the recruitment pay for the dram. After the contractual arrangements impress Nemorino, the chorus of village girls announce (to all but Nemorino and Adina's ears) that his rich uncle has just died, bequeathing Nemorino a fortune. They naturally flirt with the new "lucky catch." Nemorino believes his new attractiveness to be a result of the extra love potion.

Adina comes upon the scene and is at first alarmed that Nemorino can be so cavalier in his apparent last hour (before the marriage of his expressed heart's desire). The Doctor brags that it is a demonstration of the power of his love potion and reveals to Adina that the love-sick Nemorino was willing to consign himself just to win her heart.

 Nemorino sings the famous aria, "Una furtiva lagrima", which expresses his unchanging love for Adina. She is completely won over by these revelations and agrees to love only our hero. Dulcamara rides out of town with face saved and still extolling the treasures of his wares.