The majority of Gaetano Donizetti’s operas, numbering around 70, was based on blood-soaked tragedies and fell into oblivion eventually. The few memorable pieces that made their way into our century, however, include marvellous comedies such as L’elisir d’amore. Musically original and coherent throughout, its inspired libretto contains a refined humour bordering on farce, whereas Donizetti’s music shines with a great number of unforgettable tunes that please the greatest of stars.
The plot tells us about poor Nemorino’s efforts to win the proud landowner Adina’s affection. When he observes her reading about Tristan and Isolde’s love potion, he decides to go and search for this magic liquid, only to be cheated by the shady tradesman Dulcamara into buying an overpriced bottle of wine. Luckily, Adina finally takes notice of Nemorino’s clumsy advances, not least because of a new self-confidence inspired in him by the Bordeaux’s innate power, and the story ends happily.
It is the wonderful sensibility of Donizetti’s music which still moves us today. This is most palpable in the tear it famously contains in spite of the work’s farcical nature, and which can literally be found, for instance, in Nemorino’s well-known romance “Una furtiva lagrima”.