The Elixir of Love

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THE STORY OF THE OPERA

The opera begins on a farm outside a small town. Adina is a well-to-do landowner and has bought a book about those legendary lovers, Tristan, and Isolde. She has been reading about the love potion that turned Isolde’s hatred for Tristan into love and she wishes for a love potion of her own to magically conjure a husband. Nemorino, one of the farmworkers, admires her from a distance. Nemorino is clearly in love with Adina, but cannot bring himself to tell her, as he is a simple countryman with no money. He would also like a love potion capable of catching Adina’s attention and capturing her heart.

Belcore, an army sergeant, arrives. He is struck by Adina’s beauty and openly pursues her in order to make her his wife. Nemorino watches Belcore courting Adina and he is heart-sick that he may never have the chance to do the same. Belcore presses Adina to marry him immediately; however, the lady is unsure. She has only just met him, after all. Adina begs for a little time to think over his offer of marriage as Belcore departs. Finding himself alone with Adina, at last, Nemorino declares his love. Adina isn’t terribly impressed with his awkward advances, and tells him, frankly, that he has no chance of winning her hand.

Dr. Dulcamara is selling a patent medicine that he claims will cure all ills. Nemorino hears the doctor boast that his cure can set the coldest of hearts on fire. Nemorino buys a bottle with the last little bit of money in his pocket. Dulcamara tells Nemorino not to take the elixir until after sunset, giving himself plenty of time to finish peddling his fake medicine and get out of town. Nemorino declares he will drink the entire bottle that evening, in order for it to take full effect. However, Nemorino simply cannot wait and begins taking the elixir immediately. He soon feels the effects of this “magic drink” and thinks that it is the warmth produced by the Elixir of Love.

Nemorino returns to the farm, pretending not to notice Adina. He is hopeful that the elixir will do its job as Dr. Dulcamara promised. Adina is not happy that Nemorino seems indifferent to her. Even from a distance, she can see that his walk is more confident; he seems unconcerned and happy. Nemorino does not speak of their previous conversation or of his feelings for her.

Belcore returns and, thinking that Nemorino does not really love her, Adina agrees to marry him. The happy sergeant wants to wed immediately. Although Adina had hoped for a brief engagement, she relents and agrees to tie the knot. Nemorino, wanting more time for the Elixir of Love to take effect, begs Adina to wait. The lady agrees to wait until the following day.

Nemorino searches for Dulcamara to buy more elixir. The first bottle has not worked, and he is desperate for another so he can win Adina’s heart. Alas, he is out of money! His only hope is to enlist in the army for the signing bonus he will receive. He runs to Belcore to sign up, who is privately pleased that Nemorino will be out of the way. Nemorino is equally confident that he will “get the girl” with help from the second bottle of the magic elixir.

Adina is looking for Nemorino. Dulcamara tells her that Nemorino has enlisted in the army in order to buy more of the Elixir of Love. Adina realizes how cruel she has been and how truly Nemorino loves her. All the women of the town are now after Nemorino. She must find him and ask his forgiveness so they can be together. Dulcamara tries to sell Adina a bottle of the elixir which she sensibly declines.

Nemorino returns, reflecting on the single tear he had seen in Adina’s eye when they had last spoken. He is still hopeful that the elixir will do its job and make her love him. Adina finds Nemorino and hands him his enlistment papers. She has bought them back from Belcore, so Nemorino won’t have to serve in the army. She begins to walk away, but the farmer has reached his breaking point: Nemorino insists that if he cannot have her love, he would rather die a simple soldier. At that, Adina admits that she loves Nemorino and asks him to forgive her. She insists that the elixir did its job well and that Nemorino will never need it again.

Dulcamara is happy to take credit for the happy couple. Only Belcore seems to think him a fraud, after seeing his fiancée stolen from under his nose. Nemorino and Adina, however, are untroubled by such thoughts. They have eyes only for each other, and their loving hearts—as if by magic—now beat as one.