Review: L'ELISIR D'AMORE, Dorset Opera Festival

The Dorset Opera Festival finds the perfect setting for Gaetano Donizetti's L'elisir d'amore. This little gem of an opera company cleverly relocates the action from an Italian town to its own surroundings in Hardy's countryside. Home-grown references include London Gin instead of red wine, taking the Queen's shilling and a Scottish regiment billeted in the region.

It all makes sense placing a romantic tale about love potions in this wooded venue at Bryanston School, next to the village of Blandford Forum, where witty town-versus-country mouse allusions are scattered throughout.

Set designer Rufus Martin's idyllic apple orchard backdrop sits happily behind country pursuits featuring the area's local apples, such as clambering up ladders to pick them and a merry bout of apple bobbing at a wedding party.

When Dr Dulcamara, played by Aidan Smith who's blessed with a gravelly bass voice and great comic timing, comes down from London the Dorset Opera Festival Chorus displays astonishment at this absolute marvel. He then has the audacity to refer to the crowd as yokels, eliciting a good laugh from the audience.

Nemorino, a penniless farmhand, is naturally the hero of the piece. Excellent British-Irish tenor Jay Broadhurst charmingly conveys his character's naivety and simple origins, including a spot of butter churning and an inability to see through the quack doctor's flogging of fake love potions that Nemorino's desperate to have to win the beautiful Adina's adoration.

Broadhurst captures the audience with his rendition of the melancholic and beautiful aria "Una furtiva lagrima" in Act II, when Nemorino sees a tear in Adina's eye and knows she's really in love with him.

Likewise, soprano Haeran Hong, a diminutive figure with a big voice, brings a lot of character to the role of Adina. Her duet, "Quanto amore" with Dulcamara in Act II is particularly noteworthy.

Not to be outdone, a tall, spidery Jonathan Eyers offers a swaggering depiction of narcissistic Belcore, the captain of the guard. With comical long legs that resemble John Cleese's, he brings the house down with his arrogant aria, "Come paride vezzoso". 

Rural autumnal hues are reflected in Libby Watson's costumes, with added splashes of orange in sashes and flowers in Adina's hair at the party. I also like the detail of a woman in the chorus and her two children waving red flags when Dulcamara arrives.

It's easy to see why L'elisir d'amore, first performed in 1832 in Milan, is one of Donizetti's most famous operas. A good introduction to opera, it's tuneful, funny and easy to follow. Mercifully, there are no lingering deaths. And the cheery, familiar premise of poor boy meets seemingly unattainable girl, rival dashing officer tries to steal her, but all is right in the end is very pleasing – especially now when we're living in such a mixed-up world.

Director Andy Morton treats us to a lively performance, with a good deal of action and movement. All too often opera productions (and not just those "down from London") are too static. His cast displays confidence, and I've never seen a chorus enjoy itself more. Chorus director Stephen Harris deserves a mention for marshalling and inspiring this spirited group.

For those wanting to get more involved, the Dorset Opera Festival encourages aspiring opera singers to apply for an 18-day course, working with soloists, directors and conductors. Those selected then perform in this fine chorus in the productions over the summer season.

Acoustics in Bryanston's concert hall are good, and conductor Frank Zielhorst has full command of the not inconsiderable Dorset Opera Festival Orchestra under its leader Emre Engin. Nothing has been stinted on, and you feel you're really getting your money's worth. For those with less to spend the Dorset Festival Opera does offer some discounted tickets to students and to those aged under 40.

The only small wrinkle is the rather odd surtitles. I'm still trying to fathom what panking means (a word I have yet to come across in my Duolingo Italian). I guess it's good to have surtitles for those learning about the story for the first time, or for those needing reminding, but they are irritating at times.

Overall however, the atmosphere is special in this bucolic spot. Parking is easy, staff (many of whom are volunteers) are friendly, you can buy drinks and a picnic (or bring your own), and there's easy access to marquees to escape the sun or rain (yes, it will come) and to access the concert hall itself.

As well as L'elisir d'amore, this season Dorset Opera's also performing Camille Saint-Saëns' Samson et Dalila. It's worth catching one, or both, of these productions whether you dwell locally or if you're a DFL (Down from London) interloper. Either way, you'll enjoy a capital performance in a pastoral setting.

The Dorset Opera Festival runs until 25 July

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