Review: L'ELISIR D'AMORE, Royal Opera House

Laurent Pelly's production of Donizetti's opera buffa revived and as popular as ever

By: Sep. 24, 2023
Review: L'ELISIR D'AMORE, Royal Opera House

Review: L'ELISIR D'AMORE, Royal Opera House What a contrast with La Forza Del Destino (also playing and reviewed here)! But building a season with light and shade is the warp and weft of house programming and 19th century Italian opera does not leave one short of options.

This revival of a much-loved production opens on a ziggurat of haystacks upon which a well-dressed young woman, Adina (a coquettish Nadine Sierra on house debut) is sunning herself, wallowing in the farmworkers' attention. There’s a Neorealism vibe to Chantal Thomas and director, Laurent Pelly’s design, but without the misery amongst the peasants that one might find in a Rossellini movie - indeed, they look well fed and content with life on the land.

Less content with a vita that is proving less than dolce, is Nemorino (Liparit Avetisyan, sporting a classic clown look, too close to the pasta, too far from the razor), pining for Adina, a girl who prefers a new lover every day to the decent, if not exciting and not wealthy, Nemorino.

When the boorish Belcore (Boris Pinkhasovich), a police sergeant who is very pleased with himself, goose-steps into town to woo Adina, she has a decision to make. But our charming klutz has a secret weapon, a love potion (oh yeah…) sold by the dodgy doctor, Dulcamara (Bryn Terfel, never knowingly underselling the ham in his role). Will Adina have second thoughts? Will Nemorino become irresistible to women? Will his unseen, gravely ill, super-rich uncle have a pivotal function in the plot? Well, what do you think?

It’s all great fun and hurtles along at a tremendous pace, the orchestra, under the baton of another house debutant, Sestro Quartini, offered a few, no doubt welcome, pauses in Donizetti’s wonderfully accessible score, when the singers go a cappella. That surprise, seemingly, like so much else in this opera, just injects more joy into the work, the melodramma giocoso billing honoured with drama and laughs.

Sierra delivers the tricky coloratura role with assurance, knowing that she has those very high notes within her range - all done with the necessary pouting that changes to a puzzled look before she sees that a good man (albeit one suddenly basking in wealth unbeknownst to both of them) is the right one for her. Pinkhasovich isn’t quite as obnoxious as he might be (though we can pretty sure he laments the fall of ol' Benito), but he appears to bag a very desirable second prize in Adina’s friend, the gossipy Gianetta (Sarah Dufresne impressing in a super little cameo).

Sporting a magnificently incongruous red suit, Terfel stays just the right side of pantomime with Dulcamara, peddling quackery with a fairground barker’s charm to the peasants, the chorus in fine form with plenty of opportunities taken for a touch of slapstick.

Avetisyan, back in the role he last played in 2017, is the standout, all boyish innocence with Adina, all naive credulity with Dulcamara and, ultimately, all tugging heartstrings with us. His big aria, “Una furtiva lagrima” provides both a welcome change of pace and a showcase for a tenor voice that conveys the simple sincerity that underpins his committed, but not quite neurotically obsessive, pursuit of Adina. 

It’s a lovely night in the theatre, but one wonders if it’s a little too light and fluffy, a little too dependent on types rather than individuals to warrant the highest praise. It’s only Nemorino’s emotional journey that appears fully fleshed out: Adina flips a little too easily, Belcore and Dulcamara are stock characters and Gianetta is there for a vital plot point but little else. 

That said, it’s a surefire crowdpleaser and that’s no bad thing on either side of the fourth wall these days. 

L'elisir d'amore at the Royal Opera House until 10 October      

Photo Credit: Clive Barda

       


BroadwayWorld Awards Voting

RELATED STORIES - UK / West End

1
CHRISTMAS WITH THE CHOIR OF MAN Album is Now Available Photo
CHRISTMAS WITH THE CHOIR OF MAN Album is Now Available

'Christmas with The Choir of Man' is a new EP released by Westway Music on December 1st. This must-have collection features classic Christmas songs and an original track, creating a joyous and uplifting celebration for the holiday season.

2
Review: CAVALLERIA RUSTICANA / PAGLIACCI, Royal Opera House Photo
Review: CAVALLERIA RUSTICANA / PAGLIACCI, Royal Opera House

Sensational staging and great music sung with such passion, but are changing mores transforming how we see the sad clown and his wicked revenge?

3
Photos: Inside Rehearsal For A VERY VERY BAD CINDERELLA at The Other Palace Photo
Photos: Inside Rehearsal For A VERY VERY BAD CINDERELLA at The Other Palace

Performances begin tonight for the cheeky Christmas musical parody, A Very Very Bad Cinderella at the Other Palace. Check out photos from rehearsal here!

4
Review: WITHIN TOUCHING DISTANCE, Stephen Lawrence Gallery Photo
Review: WITHIN TOUCHING DISTANCE, Stephen Lawrence Gallery

The VR-enabled Within Touching Distance is a profound work which digs deep into the psychology behind the most underrated sense. A word of warning: this show isn’t for the self-centred or the hard of feeling; those with the emotional awareness of an Ikea wardrobe will find little of value here. 

From This Author - Gary Naylor

Gary Naylor is chief London reviewer for BroadwayWorld (https://www.broadwayworld.com/author/Gary-Naylor) and feels privileged to see so much of his home city's theatre. He writes about ... Gary Naylor">(read more about this author)

Videos


TICKET CENTRAL

Recommended For You