Elisir d'Amore Opens Saturday

Elisir d'Amore opens with Dupage Opera Glen Ellyn, IL this Saturday. It is a fantastic production, and you can check out some footage on Youtube.

http://tinyurl.com/n6zqdj

Here's one of those mildly educational moments I said may come. Elisir d'Amore- Elixir of Love, or to simplify further- The Love Potion- is a delightful little opera by Gaetano Donizetti, who wrote it in a week! The story centers around Adina, a wealthy young woman with a tendancy to escape her suitors, and Nemorino the almost puppydog-like country bumpkin who loves her, but never seems to get up the guts to do anything about it. The chorus, with their "ringleader"- the town gossip Gianetta are a bunch of peasants, but happy opera peasants rather than the rag wearing Les Mis crowd. Add a remarkably misguided regiment of soldiers led by Sargente Belcore, a bit of a player and egotistical (and also sexy, but that kinda works into the player thing). Belcore, naturally, wants to marry Adina, which, however unlikely, worries Nemorino.

Now add the charlatan Dr Dulcamara, with his fantastic cure-all elixir. Chorus goes bonkers, Nemorino shows up wanting a love potion, like the one Adina was reading to the chorus earlier (Tristan & Isolda- she just reads the happy part of that story of course). Dr. Dulcamara sells him a bottle of wine and tells him that it is a love potion. Nemorino is delighted, and gets quite drunk. Allegedly the love potion will kick in the next day, ie once Dulcamara and his cronies are long gone.

Belcore and Nemorino realize they are rivals for her love, and a very drunk Nemorino tries to fight Belcore, only saved by Adina. Belcore and his regiment are summoned and have to leave the next day. To get back at the inebriated Nemorino, Adina agrees to marry Belcore that evening. Nemorino=sad. Chorus= happy- we like free food and wine. End act I

Act II Party time. We dance and drink and sing. Dulcamara puts on a little entertainment with Adina. The notary shows up, exeunt, except Dulcamara and Nemorino, hidden under the table. Nemorino wants more love potion but is out of money. He signs up to be a soldier to get money, which he then uses to get really drunk on "elixir" once more. In the meantime our village gossip Giannetta has learned that Nemorino's rich uncle has died and left him a huuuuge fortune. The women all want Nemorino, and the once more inebriated Nemorino, thinks it is because of the love potion. Dulcamara clues Adina in, she buys back the conscription papers for Nemorino, and finally declares her love for him (without learning about the fortune). FINALE- Bel shows up and threatens Nem again, but Ad is like "back off THIS is my husband" Belcore is like "Well, all the other chicks want me" and goes off to pout. Dulcamara gives him Elixir- then reveals that Nemorino has made a huge inheritance, to the surprise of everyone but the girls. The chorus then showers Dr D with money to get Elixir for themselves, and he rides off into the sunset with a crapload of money.