On
26th November cinemas all over the world screened the
much-anticipated opera that many had been looking forward to experiencing, namely
the Royal Opera House’s (ROH) production of Donizetti’s L’Elisir D’Amore (The
Love Potion). The opera, first performed at the Teatro della Canobbiana Milan
in 1832, has been regarded as many positive things from an ideal first-timers’
opera, a musically enthralling masterpiece with playfulness and a
happy-go-lucky spirit given its romantic and ‘love conquers all’ ethos. It
comes to no surprise that it was the most popular opera in Italy between 1838
and 1848 and comfortably sits in most opera houses’ repertory.
The evening was
hosted by BBC Radio 4 presenter Martha
Kearney who managed to ask a couple of questions to the animated and
young Jette
Parker Young Artist (of 2008–9) and conductor
Daniele Rustoni, as well as accomplished bass singer Bryn Terfel who stated that
L’Elisir D’Amore was ‘possibly one of the best operas written.’ He effortlessly sings as the love pharmacist and Doctor
Dulcamara in this production as he had done for a
Euro-glitzy production at Dutch Opera (Nederlandse Opera) in 2002
impersonating a funky Elvis. He shall be
singing the role of Sweeney Todd at the ENO next year with Emma Thompson.
Also, many fans of handsome Vittorio Grigòlo,
whose opera career has skyrocketing, would be excited to see him sing
amorous arias here as the lead tenor and hapless love puppy Nemorino.
Director Laurent
Pelly intelligently sets our opera in Italy in the 1950s where the countryside
is blissful and sun-kissed with a
rustic bar called Trattorio, heaps of haystack, Vespa motorbikes and stray dogs
reside. Nemorino,
the poor farm worker, falls in love seeking desperate measures to be loved in
return by Adina. The notable aria Una furtiva lagrima, that your average Joe would recognise, was sung perfectly by Grigòlo as
he made the song his own. His voice was made for such a cosmically gorgeous
piece of music and the subtle drips of light bulbs that were added by Chantal
Thomas symbolise the starry night making it ever more magical.
The farm owner Adina,
dressed in a pink floral dress, who plays hard to get with Nemorino - and even
suggests living a promiscuous life - is sung by charming English rose
Lucy Crowe despite being mean and feisty towards Nemorino in the beginning
scenes. Her voice was delectable and something I’d like to hear in a baroque
opera by Monteverdi or, perhaps, Handel.
The bad-boy sergeant
Belcore is sung by baritone singer Levente Molnár who seems to enjoy
gyrated his love parts to the female villagers who Adina uses as a ploy to get
Nemorino jealous. Although vocally stale in some parts Molnár played the theatrical part of a militarised Don Giovanni
exceedingly well.
The chorus singers
also brought masses of entertainment, smiles and enjoyment to the opera and
with such charming songs as Bel conforto the merriment spread throughout the
cinema screen (and in the ROH auditorium, I am sure!) Rustoni
shone his love for the opera as he jumped and conducted like an energising
bunny in the pit and the acoustics seemed pretty good from the cinema speakers.
(Unfortunately I cannot speak on behalf of the actual acoustics of the ROH as I
wasn't there.)
Bring your children! Bring your friends and family members
who are new to opera. Its story line is as comprehensible as a modern Rom Com
movie and it comes with no frills or fuss but silly funnies to the happiest
music, which will pull the sun out of the clouds. What’s even better is there’s
a little dog that runs on and off the stage. What more could you ask for?
Currently showing until the 13th December: Click here for more tickets for the Royal House Performance
Or click here for more Cinema live showings from the ROH here
(Photos are courtesy from the Royal Opera House)
#ROHelisir Can't get over #BrynTerfel spray elixir. If love portions were really available as bordeaux, Tescos would be making a killing
— Mary Grace Nguyen (@MaryGNguyen) November 26, 2014
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