The elixir of LOVE - Synopsis from the brochure.
<Act one>
The story plays out in an idyllic north Italian village.
Nemorino, a simple peasant, loves Adina, who comes from a wealthy family.
As the curtain rises, Adina however, scoffs at thoughts of love and reads the story of Tristan and Iseult to a group of peasant who are taking a break from the harvest.
The sounds of a march interrupt this pastoral episode.
Sergeant Belcore swaggers onto the scene leading a platoon of soldires: he is instantly drawn to Adina.
He gives her flowers and proposes marriage, but Adina is not so easily wooed.
Belcore's interest in Adina upsets Nemorino, who tries to persuade her to love him instead, but she would rather stay unattached.
Dr Dulccamara, a traveling huckster, enters the square and begins peddling his cure-all.
Impressed, Nemorino asks if he happens to be selling any of Iseult's legendary love portion.
Nemorino listened to the story and remembers what the portion did for Tristan - perhaps it might do the same for him.
The doctor obliges with a bottle of "elixir" - which is really just wine - promising it will take effect in 24 hours.
Nemorino drinks some, and his confidence increases immeasurably.
Adina, irritated at Nemorino's new self-assurance, spites him by promising to marry Belcore in six days.
Of course, that doesn't haze Nemorino - the elixir will have worked by then.
A soldier arrives with orders calling the plattoon to the front the next day.
Faced with Belcore's departure, Adina agrees to marry him that evening.
This throws Nemorino into a panic.
How can he win Adina without the help of the elixir? |
