Last Updated on September 23, 2023
Uncorking Love – What is ‘L’elisir d’amore’?
We last saw L’elisir d’amore at Glyndebourne this summer, a setting which lends itself perfectly to Donizetti’s charming romantic comedy. But, as one of my neighbours remarked last night after a stellar performance at the Royal Opera House, this opera is also perfect Friday night entertainment. The two-act comic opera composed by Donizetti in 1832 had its premiere in Milan the same year. Despite the libretto being a reworking of an opera that opened the previous year, L’elisir d’amore has remained popular ever since, a mainstay of the international repertoire.
The plot is simple and revolves around a love story. Nemorino (Liparit Avetisyan), a naive peasant is obsessed with the capricious Adina (Nadine Sierra). She in turn is pursued by a rather officious and self-assured sargeant, Belcore (Boris Pinkhasovich). In desperation, Nemorino buys a bottle of love potion (the “elixir of love”) from a travelling quack doctor named Dulcamara (Bryn Terfel).
In the bel canto opera style, L’elisir d’amore demands lyrical, flexible singing from the leads and both Nadine Sierra (making her house debut) and Liparit Avetisyan (who we last saw as Alfredo in La Traviata at ROH in July) have the light but powerful voices that make apparently easy work of arias like ‘Della crudele Isotta’. From start to finish, Nadine Sierra was phenomenal, with outstanding range, lyricism and dynamic control. Effortless ornamentation lifted her performance. Avetisyan was more hesitant in the first act, perhaps deliberately since we’ve always loved his velvety, lyrical yet powerful tenor voice, just a little in her shadow in the duet ‘Lalaralara, esulti pur la barbara’. Brilliantly characterising his part, by the time we reached the crowd pleaser ‘Una furtiva lagrima’ his vocals were spot on, warm, expressive and charismatic.
Pinkhasovich’s Belcore, with a full and expressive baritone, was totally credible and full of hilarious vocal word painting and his entry aria, ‘Come Paride vezzoso’ beautifully executed, playing to Adina’s machinations.
The entry of Dr Dulcamara is always a highlight and Bryn Terfel is an old hand in the role both at the Royal Opera House and on the international stage. In the Royal Opera House production last night (directed by Laurent Pelly, revival director Paul Higgins), he works from a large transit van, concocting various potions to cure all ills. When approached by Nemorino for a bottle of Isolde’s ‘l’elisir d’amore’ he improvises with a bottle of wine…and of course, it seems to work. It wasn’t until the second act, in the Venetian duet with Adina that he really came into his own with a fantastic and sleazily charming characterisation of the quack doctor. ‘Io son ricco e tu sei bella’ performed with simple props, brought the house down.
Of course, love ends up conquering all, but it’s not until the audience and most of the village discover that Nemorino has inherited a fortune from his uncle. The women of the village, led by a charming and vocally impressive Sarah Dufresne as Giannetta, immediately ‘fall in love’ with him. And that in turn gives Nemorino the confidence to approach Adina again without fear of failure.
Conducted by Sesto Quatrini making his Royal Opera House debut, the orchestra and chorus of the Royal Opera House were yet again on form. This fast-paced work, requires immaculate timing and close attention to detail. The production, set in rural Italy in the 1950s, dates back to 2007 but feels as fresh as ever.
For regular opera goers, this L’elisir d’amore is a must simply to see and hear the stunning Nadine Sierra. And to catch Sarah Dufresne, a Jette Parker artist in a league of her own. Bryn Terfel is, of course, a reason in his own right and Avetisyan is a charming Nemorino whose subtle interpretation of ‘Una furtiva lagrima’ was hauntingly memorable. And for anyone considering trying a night at the opera for the first time, this is one to go for!
L’elisir d’amore at the Royal Opera House
22 September – 5 October
Royal Opera House
Bow St,
Covent Garden,
London WC2E 9DD
TREVOR GEORGE TAYLOR says
I enjoyed the streaming at Chesham’s Elgiva Hall last. Sadly Bryn Terfel did not perfrm but his replacement as Dulcemara was excellent However, I failed to get his name so could someone oblige.
Fiona Maclean says
I believe it was Ambrogio Maestri? you can find the cast list here https://static.roh.org.uk/digital/cast-sheets/L'elisir+d'amore/Cinema/l'elisir-d'amore-digital-cinema-cast-sheet-05-10-23-v2.pdf?_ga=2.93578589.1723013309.1697134532-1278359444.1692782366