Press Release
Toledo Opera presents one of the most
popular operas of all time: The Love Potion (L’elisir
d’amore),
on May 1, 7 and 9 at the Valentine Theatre. This sparkling
folktale is the story of Nemorino, a bashful and naive farm
laborer who is madly in love with the boss’s lovely
daughter, Adina. His efforts to win her affection are thwarted
by the strapping Sergeant Belcore, who all but kicks sand
in Nemorino’s face as he sweeps Adina off her feet.
What’s a poor farm boy to do? Enter “Doctor” Dulcamara,
a slimy “snake oil” salesman. From his roadside
stand the brilliant charlatan hawks a variety of medicines,
potions, and elixirs guaranteed to cure any imaginable ailment.
Nemorino timidly approaches and asks if there is anything
for “affairs of the heart,” to which Dulcamara
offers a bottle of cheap red wine disguised as the “Elixir
of Love.”
In The Love Potion, the great
Italian composer Gaetano Donizetti displayed his flair for
tuneful melodies and for molding his music into humorous
characterizations. The beautiful lyrical aria “Una
furtiva lagrima” has long been a favorite of many famous
tenors, including the great Enrico Caruso, Luciano Pavarotti
and Placido Domingo.
The “Elixir” was written in
only six weeks. Even at a time when composers were expected
to turn out new operas at break-neck speed, Donizetti’s
workaholic hyper-productivity astonished his contemporaries
(and aroused their jealousy!). A well-known caricature of
the composer in the early 1840s shows a manic figure writing
two different operas simultaneously, one with each hand.
The lightning-flash speed of “Elixir’s” composition
might be less impressive were it just another formulaic opera,
but after having written more than thirty operas Donizetti
delivered a masterpiece full of stunning freshness and originality.
In this comic work of genius he clearly draws on all the
skills he has learned about musical characterization and
dramatically effective pacing. The Love Potion debuted
on May 12, 1832 in Milan and was a huge triumph. It was last
presented by Toledo Opera in 1984.
All performances are preceded by informal
pre-opera chats designed to make the opera experience more
enjoyable. Single ticket prices for The Love Potion begin
at $30. and may be purchased online at toledoopera.org or
by phone at 419-255-SING (7464). Discounts are available
for students, seniors, and groups of ten or more.
Performances are on Saturday, May 1 at 7:30 pm and Friday,
May 7 at 7:30pm, with a matinee on Sunday, May 9 at 2pm.
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