L’Elisir d’Amore

‘Una furtiva lagrima’ is a worldwide hit and one of the most beautiful tenor arias ever written. Donizetti's successful opera is not limited to this aria, however; it also contains a good number of nuggets that strike a chord with music lovers.

At the very first rehearsals, the score of L'elisir d'amore was not finished. Gaetano Donizetti, its composer, was therefore very pessimistic about the future of his opera. Yet from its very first performance, it was a triumphant success that never wavered. The composer dedicated his opera ‘Al Bel Sesso di Milano’, although it is not clear to whom he was referring.

The action takes place in a Basque village where the capricious Adina is courted by everyone. The naive young villager Nemorino is also desperately in love, and thanks to the supposed virtues of an elixir, Adina finally sets her sights on him after a series of adventures.