I watched L'Elisir D'Amore again tonight. As always I watch it because I love to see Pavarotti playing Nemorino and hear the dulcet tones of his perfect tenor. It is a sweet opera with a lovely Adina that I have to love even when she is being so coquettish she could be annoying. The scenery is imaginative and simple, and the chorus is full of life.
A tiny little red haired girl who cannot be more than five years old, plays her part perfectly, allowing me to forget she is even playing a part. Her tiny face is totally enrapt by Adina's story. Tonight, though, I was charmed by Dulcamara, a sort of charlatin doctor selling elixirs for everything, including a love potion to cure Nemorino's woes so that his Adina will love him.
Dulcamara reminds me of Walter Matthau with a great voice. He has that seriously droll smile and twinkling eye that are part of the perfect understated clown and his voice is amazing. I cannot believe people in the audience do not need to laugh out loud at his antics, but if they do, I do not hear them.
I think many people don't like opera because it is not in English and we Americans understand very little else. Now, though, subtitles are available and it would be a shame not to use them. These are great performances that I would hate to see lost.
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