Discover The Elixir of Love (L'elisir d'amore)

Adina’s country house, somewhere in England, early 1940s

Act I

The workers on Adina’s estate have gathered for lunch. One of their number, Nemorino, is miserable: he’s in love with Adina, but she isn’t interested. To amuse everyone, Adina reads aloud the story of Tristan and Isolde; Nemorino is intrigued by its description of an elixir which can inspire love.

As the workers are considering this wonderful-sounding drink, Belcore, a military officer stationed nearby, pays a visit. He is also in love with Adina, and when he proposes marriage, she says she might consider it. However, when alone, she tells Nemorino that she is uninterested in having a serious relationship with anyone. He swears that he’ll never stop loving her, and her suggestion that he look elsewhere is ignored.

An enigmatic salesman arrives, styling himself Doctor Dulcamara and selling a tantalising panacea. Nemorino asks him if he also stocks Isolde’s love elixir. The salesman improvises and produces a mysterious bottle. Although it costs him all the money he has, Nemorino eagerly buys it. Dulcamara warns that the drink will only take effect after twenty-four hours – enough time for him to slip away before Nemorino discovers it’s nothing but a few glugs of booze.

Having drunk the ‘elixir’, Nemorino grows somewhat cooler around Adina, who finds his new indifference towards her surprisingly infuriating. Hoping to provoke him, she tells Belcore that they can marry in a few days. However, now convinced that it’s only a matter of hours until his love is returned, Nemorino remains unperturbed.

Giannetta, one of the estate workers, runs in with a group of Belcore’s men. They bring news that the squadron must move the next morning to a new posting. Adina and Belcore decide to bring forward their wedding to that very afternoon and, believing that the elixir needs until the next day to take effect, Nemorino is distraught.

Interval of 20 minutes

Act II

Preparations for the wedding of Adina and Belcore are in full swing. Dulcamara has also been invited to the reception, and leads Adina and the guests in a song. The vicar arrives and the wedding party departs. Nemorino, despondent, asks Dulcamara for advice. The salesman tells him he must buy more elixir to speed up its effect – but Nemorino has no more money. Dulcamara says he has fifteen minutes to find it.

Belcore returns, bewildered; Adina has asked to delay the wedding until the evening, and he cannot understand why. Hearing that Nemorino needs money, he decides to cheer himself up by tempting his peace-loving rival with cash if he joins the military. Despite his misgivings, Nemorino signs the contract and takes the King’s Shilling.

Giannetta meanwhile shares some exciting gossip with her friends: Nemorino’s rich uncle has died and left his nephew his sole heir. Nemorino has not yet heard the news so, when the women start flirting with him, he assumes the second dose of elixir is taking effect. Adina is horrified to discover him at the centre of so much female attention. Overwhelmed by jealousy, she begins to confront her true feelings for him, but, before she can speak, Giannetta and the other women whisk him away to dance.

Adina is now miserable, fearing that she has lost Nemorino just at the point of recognising her love for him. Dulcamara prescribes her his elixir of love, to re-ignite Nemorino’s affections. Adina rallies, and answers that she doesn’t need it.

Nemorino reflects on Adina’s jealous reaction when she saw the other women flirting with him. When Adina announces that she has bought back his enlistment papers, his happiness is complete.

Dulcamara claims that his elixir is responsible for Adina’s apparently changed heart, and starts to sell it to the gathered crowd. He departs, leaving behind a community which may never be quite the same again.