The Elixir Of Love

Donizetti's charming comedy is a celebration of innocence, so what setting could be better than a small Italian-American community in the Napa Valley, circa 1915? In this ingenious update, the naïve Nemorino believes that a love potion will win him Adina's heart. Blossoming from a shy Italian immigrant to a plucky entrepreneur, he captures both his sweetheart and the American dream over the course of this delightful opera buffa. Tenor Ramón Vargas superbly embodies the role of the lovesick Nemorino, "which he sang with ardent lyricism and affecting poignancy" at the Met, according to The New York Times. The beautiful Adina is sung by the stunning Inva Mula, whose "agile voice" The New York Times praised for its "lovely timbre and a natural fluidity."