Pittsburgh Opera Presents THE ELIXER OF LOVE, A Comic Love Story Full Of Light-Hearted Fun

Pittsburgh Opera concludes our 2017-18 season with Donizetti's L'elisir d'amore - The Elixir of Love, a fun romantic comedy about a traveling Medicine Show huckster who claims to possess a love potion.

The story concerns a "little nobody" named Nemorino. Nemorino is smitten with the beautiful and wealthy Adina, who appears to be completely out of his league. His prospects are further diminished when the handsome and dashing Sergeant Belcore arrives.

But when Doctor Dulcamara rolls into town and sells Nemorino a bottle of his dubious Elixir of Love, things get very interesting. Why is Nemorino suddenly popular with every girl in the village? Will he win Adina's love before it's too late?

Pittsburgh Opera will be performing a sunny 1950s-style production that's new to Pittsburgh, complete with Vespa scooters and a hot air balloon. The Guardian described it as "a Fellini-esque vision of scooters, cappuccino machines and champagne fountains, set on a sun-washed hotel terrace overlooking the sea..."

On stage April 21, 24, 27 & 29, The Elixir of Love is full of charming romance, visual comedy, and light-hearted fun. Adult tickets start at just $12 - with children's tickets for those ages 18-and-under starting at just $6 - and are available online.

In addition, Pittsburgh Opera's annual Student Matinee will introduce 2,000+ school children grades 3-12 to this lively, colorful opera on Thursday, April 26 at the Benedum Center. Pittsburgh Opera's Resident Artists take lead roles in the Student Matinee, and are accompanied by the Pittsburgh Opera Orchestra, in yet another opportunity to hone their performance skills.

Fun facts about The Elixir of Love:

The most well-known aria in The Elixir of Love is "Una furtiva lagrima" (A furtive tear), which Nemorino sings when he spies Adina weeping. Luciano Pavarotti is just one of many tenors who helped popularize the song.

People have pinned their romantic hopes on magic love potions for thousands of years. The term 'aphrodisiac' comes from the Greek goddess of love, Aphrodite. Songs about love potions include "Love Potion Number 9", which was originally performed by the Clovers in 1959, and Tone L?c's 1989 platinum hit "Funky Cold Medina." "Love Potion #9" was also a 1992 rom-com movie starring Sandra Bullock.

The Elixir of Love was Donizetti's 36th opera. He reportedly wrote the entire score in less than a month.

Tickets and Group Discounts:

Tickets to all performances of The Elixir of Love start at $12; tickets for children 18 and under start at $6.

All performances are at the Benedum Center, 7th Street and Penn Avenue, in Pittsburgh's Cultural District

To purchase tickets, call 412-456-6666, visit the Theatre Square Box Office, or buy online at https://opera.culturaldistrict.org/production/51767/list_performances.

Group and student discounts are available. For discounted group tickets (6 or more), contact Regina Connolly at 412-281-0912, x 213