The Elixir of Love

After last season's sparkling Don Pasquale with its overtones of musical comedy, Opéra national de Lorraine invites you to discover another of Donizetti's masterpieces with this Elixir of Love. In a village in the Basque countryside, Adina is courted by Sergeant Belcore and the shy Nemorino. But the young girl prefers to escape by reading Tristan and Isolde. The arrival of a travelling salesman - Doctor Dulcamara - who claims to have discovered a special love potion, will set this small community abuzz.

Composed in record time - fourteen days! - The Elixir of Love was an instant triumph that would never wane. Today, the work stands as one of the jewels in the crown of bel canto.

Feel your heart beating for a moment!
If only I might mingle my sighs with hers for a moment!
Heavens, I could die.
That's all I ask.
The Elixir of Love

This new production is also an opportunity to discover David Lescot, one of the most creative French directors of recent years. Having captured both the humour and the bittersweet melancholy of Donizetti, David Lescot sets the action on a farm, close to which lives a gypsy community. The director's skills do the rest, and this unexpected approach results in a comedy as irresistible as it is intelligent.