L'ELISIR D'AMORE " L'Elisir d'Amore " or " The Elixir of Love," an opera buffa in two acts with text by Romani and music by Gaetano Donizetti, was first produced in Milan in 1832.
Adina, a wealthy and independent young woman. Nemorino, a young peasant in love with Adina. Belcore, sergeant of the village garrison.
Doctor Dulcamara, a perambulating physician. Gianetta, a peasant girl.
A landlord, a notary, peasants, soldiers, villagers.
The scene of the opera is laid in a little Italian village of the last century. Adina is a young woman prominent in the community for her graces and gaiety and for the fact that she is possessor of estates of value. She is adored by Nemorino, a handsome young peasant, who is deeply grieved over the gulf which separates them in the matter of wealth and education. The lady is indeed very cool in her reception of his protestations of regard, and fancies that she is quite indifferent to him. Nemorino's despair becomes measureless when Sergeant Belcore, a dashing person, believed by himself, at least, to be a great lady-killer, arrives and is received by Adina with marked favor. Soon after she has assured her sighing swain with finality that it is useless for him to hope. there comes to the village one Doctor Dulcamara, who pro claims in the most extravagant terms the manifold merits of his Magic Pain Extractor. Nemorino, catching at a straw, makes haste to inquire if the learned one knows aught of the magic draught of Queen Isotta, which is capable of enabling the one who drinks it to command the love of anyone he may choose. The resourceful Dulcamara assures him that he is the very one who compounds it and immediately sells him a bottle of Bordeaux wine in return for his last eagle. The desired-for effect is not to be observable until the morrow, possibly not until after the doctor's departure.
Nemorino drinks the potion with all his faith and fancies he feels in himself an immediate effect. In this he is right, for he is intoxicated. Confident that Adina will be his on the morrow and being well able to afford a little previous indifference, he treats her with tipsy nonchalance, whereat the lady is much piqued, so much so, in fact, that she at once accepts her sergeant's proposal of marriage as a little revenge.
As that gentleman has received orders to march on the morrow, he urges that the wedding occur immediately. The notary is summoned, and a ball is arranged to which every body is invited, even the famous doctor. That worthy is sought at the scene of the festivity by Nemorino, who hopes that a second bottle may accelerate the effect so that he may be loved before the wedding takes place. The doctor has more of the specific, but Nemorino has no money. Belcore, seeing his despair and learning that it arises from financial trouble, offers to furnish him with twenty crowns if he will enlist in his corps. To this Nemorino agrees and signs the papers. Meantime, word has been received in the village that Nemorino's uncle has died, making him the richest man in the village. The news, however, has not reached the ears of the one most concerned, and he ascribes his sudden access of popularity to the elixir. Seeing him surrounded by six teen women, the doctor cannot refrain from boasting to Adina that it is his great draught that brought it all about. Adina, touched at last by this final proof of devotion, of which she has just learned, not only pays the money which frees him from the obligation to the sergeant, but goes to Nemorino and confesses that she really cares for him. Having brought such a happy match about, the doctor is in high repute with everyone except the dashing sergeant, who, after all, finds his bachelor days are not at an end and the villagers loudly join in the cry Viva the great Dulcamara, The very phcenix of all doctors.
Tuneful numbers in this graceful work are Dulcamara's buffo song, descriptive of his medicine, " Give ear now, ye rustic ones; " the final chorus in the first act, " The wine-cup, full teeming; " the duet of Adina and Doctor Dulcamara, " I have riches, thou hast beauty " and Nemorino's famous tenor romanza, " The furtive tear."