DER LIEBESTRANK

In the organizer's words:

Nemorino is deeply in love with Adina - but unfortunately she doesn't want to do what he wants. When the macho Sergeant Belcore shows up with his soldiers, seems to take Adina's heart by storm and she even promises to marry him, Nemorino is deeply distraught. Fortunately, the quack doctor Dulcamara is praising miracle cures for all kinds of ailments. Nemorino buys a "love potion" from him, which turns out to be just a bottle of red wine, but ultimately leads to the desired goal.

With "L'elisir d'amore", the brilliant melody-slinger Gaetano Donizetti wrote (allegedly in just 14 days!) one of the most beautiful, cheerful Italian bel canto operas full of loving humanity and tongue-in-cheek effervescence. Even at the premiere in Milan in 1832, the audience celebrated the "love potion" enthusiastically. The opera's popularity has continued unabated ever since - and almost all the great tenors have melted hearts with "Una furtiva lagrima"!