DONIZETTI: ELIXIR OF LOVE

DIRECTOR’S NOTE

Three and a half years ago, when I first walked into Lambert Hall for Madama Butterfly, my first thought was, "We need to do my 50's Elixir of Love here". The intimacy of the space, the existing, almost jukebox shaped proscenium, and the thrust stage work perfectly for this silly, yet ultimately very touching setting. How fitting it is that we'll finally get to do the show, not only after a world pandemic, but after nearly losing Lambert Hall. I am so happy to be back at Opera in the Heights to share this production, one of my all-time favorites. I've always considered L'elisir d'amore to be the best of the bel canto comedies. Not only is it stuffed full of beautiful melodies, fun duets, a gorgeous act-one finale, and one of the most touching arias of all time, but it also makes sense as a story! And that's something we rarely get from this period in opera history. There are no ridiculous disguises, no unbelievable hiding spaces, no problems that could easily be solved with one word of clarity. The story is simple, but believable. A shy young man is in love with the most beautiful girl in town. Unknowingly bolstered by the confidence alcohol can sometimes bring, and egged on by the promise of a magical love potion, he steps up and eventually gets the girl. Of course it helps that he's inherited a bunch of money - again, unknowingly. 

I can't pinpoint the moment I came up with this specific setting for L'elisir d'amore. It has certainly been set in the 1950s many times before I came along, and generally works well. But what makes this production special is the use of 1950s song lyrics in the supertitles. If you are looking for a word-for-word, by-the-book translation of the libretto, you're at the wrong show. However, I will say that much time was put into finding just the right lyric from the 50s to match the meaning and sentiment of the original Italian. Many of these song lyrics and titles are so ingrained in American culture that even audiences in their 20s will recognize them. And those of us who are older, may catch them all. See how many you can spot. And if you really want to have fun... play a little game where you take a small sip of your own magic elixir each time you catch one. But take small sips, or you'll be dancing along with Nemorino by the end of the first act.