Opera Synopsis—

Elixir

The wealthy and beautiful Adina is reading to a group of peasants the story of how Tristan won the heart of Isolde with a magic potion. A poor young villager, Nemorino, laments he has nothing to offer Adina but love. When the handsome Sergeant Belcore swaggers in with his troops, he flirts with Adina and asks for her hand; amused by his conceit, Adina promises to think it over. Once alone with Nemorino, Adina tells him his time might be better spent looking after his rich, ailing uncle than mooning over her.

Dr. Dulcamara, a traveling con-man, arrives in the village selling a cure-all potion. Nemorino asks Dulcamara if he sells an elixir of love, the type described in Adina’s book. The resourceful quack takes Nemorino’s last gold piece for a simple bottle of wine, which he claims is the very potion, and assures him it will work its wonders within a day (long enough for Dulcamara to skip town). Adina steps from her house to find Nemorino tipsy. When he acts indifferently toward her, feeling the effects of the “potion,” she flirts with Belcore, even promising to marry the sergeant. Horrified, Nemorino begs Adina to wait one more day, but she ignores him and invites the villagers to her wedding. Nemorino rushes away, moaning he has been ruined by the elixir of love.

Later that day, Dulcamara celebrates with Adina and Belcore before they go to sign the marriage contract. After the guests retire, Dulcamara is joined by Nemorino who pleads for another bottle of elixir to hasten the effect, but is rejected for lack of funds. Belcore returns and is annoyed that Adina has postponed the wedding until nightfall. When he hears Nemorino is in need of cash, he persuades him to join the army and collect the volunteer’s bonus.

Meanwhile, Adina’s friend Giannetta tells the village girls that Nemorino’s uncle has died, leaving him a fortune. When they besiege the young man with attention, Nemorino, unaware of his new wealth, believes the elixir has finally taken effect. Adina, entering with Dulcamara, is furious, and all the more so when she learns Nemorino has sold his freedom to Belcore. Dulcamara tries to sell her his elixir while she swears to win back the man she really loves. Alone, Nemorino takes heart because of a tear he saw on Adina’s cheek. He again feigns indifference when she appears, but is delighted to discover she has purchased his enlistment papers because she loves him. Belcore, finding the pair engaged, accepts the situation, nonchalantly exclaiming that thousands of women await him. Dulcamara sells more elixir before escaping to another town.