May Misc. Reviews

L'ELISIR D'AMORE
(The Elixir of Love)

This is a two act (very short for an opera) melodrama performed in Italian (thank you to whoever invented subtitles).

It was first performed in Milan on May 12th, 1832. The Lyric Opera of Chicago first performed this piece on November 22nd, 1955. The actual story would only take minutes to read. Maybe fifteen minutes at most. The opera however, drags the story on for a couple of hours. It seems that when you tell a story in song in this medium, you have to repeat every line at least twice.

It is a simple story. Boy loves girl. Girl plays hard to get. Soldier comes to town and wants to marry girl. Girl accepts to make boy jealous. Doctor of alchemy provides boy with a love potion. Boy plays hard to get. Girl then really wants boy. Eventually everyone stops being so stubborn and gets what they want.

There are actually a few laughs which lighten up the pace. The actors and actresses placed against the set make it look as though you are watching a painting. Then the singing starts and the set comes alive. It was one of the better operas I have seen. I managed to stay awake for this one.

-Sheila

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