G. Donizetti, "Love Potion" (opera): content, description and reviews

Lightness, unobtrusiveness and charm are all "Love Potion" (opera). The content of the masterpiece is melodramatic, but diluted with ingenuous comic moments. It is thanks to this combination that the work has not lost its popularity to this day and often appears in a variety of new variations.

Short biography of Donizetti

The parents of Gaetano Donizetti were simple and poor people. The father of the future genius worked as a watchman, and his mother as a weaver. At the age of nine, the boy enters a charity music school, where he becomes the best student. His education continues Donizetti in the lyceum in Bologna. Here he begins to write his first works, with which success and glory come.

Gaetano began working as a professor at the Conservatory in Naples, where he later became director. During this period he creates a huge number of successful operas and other musical works. Then follows work in France, Austria and other European countries. After 1844 Gaetano ceases to work on music, as he begins to suffer from mental disorders.

Creation

His first operas "Enrico, the Earl of Burgundy" and "The Carpenter of London" were positively received by the public, but they were not particularly popular. Glory to the author brings his work "Anna Boleyn", followed by other works.

Very popular were such operas as "Favoritka", "Don Pasquale" and others. Special attention should be paid to the work "Love Potion" by G. Donizetti. The opera was a great success even during the life of the author, has not lost its popularity even now.

In the author's work, two long periods can be distinguished. In the first (before 1830), Rossini's noticeably strong influence. Here the author pays special attention to the melodiousness and euphony of his works. As for the second period, at this time he creates his most famous masterpieces, which have become classics of world music. Here a special place is given to feelings, emotions, experiences and the human soul.

Throughout his career, Donizetti wrote 74 musical works, including operas, masses, cantatas, psalms, etc. The author's speed was especially striking. Unlike other composers, he composed his masterpieces in a few days. The basis of his work was deep melodramatism, great poetic talent and a very keen sense of theatricality.

Features of opera

Two weeks - that's how long it was necessary for Gaetano Donizetti to present the "Love Potion" (opera) to the audience. The content of the work was built on the clash of various surprises, which eventually leads the main characters to a positive ending. As such moments are used: the arrival of soldiers in the village, the appearance of a doctor-charlatan, the death of a rich relative, etc. The opera "Love Potion", a brief summary of which is presented below, became the fortieth work of the author. Since its inception, it has been staged hundreds of times in the best theaters of the planet. It has not lost its relevance even now.

main characters

"Love drink" is a melodrama in two acts. The main characters of the works are:

• Adina is a rich, capricious and self-willed lessee, who dreams of sublime love.
• Nemorino is a simple poor guy, in love with Adina.
• Janetta is a peasant woman, a friend of Adina.
• Belcore is a sergeant of the garrison in the village near Rome.
• Dulkamar is a wandering doctor, a charlatan.

Donizetti's opera "Love Potion" (L'elisir d'amore) also has secondary characters. Among them: a notary, soldiers, peasants, servants, troubadours, etc. All actions take place in Italy, in the countryside. The content of the opera "The Love Potion" is presented below.

The first act. Scene One

Poor guy Nemorino secretly in love with his fellow villager Adina - a rich and wayward girl. All that he hears from her - ridicule and reproaches. Similarly, she communicates with other fans. One event, however, changes the course of action of the work "The Love Potion" (opera). The content conveys to us the conversation between Adina and her friend, who accidentally overhears Nemorino. Girls talk about the old legend of Tristan and Isolde, as well as the magical elixir that makes people fall in love.

At this time, soldiers arrive in the village under the command of Belkor. The sergeant is interested in Adina, but she rejects his courtship. Nemorino also tries to admit the girl in her feelings, but to no avail.

The first act. Scene two

The content of the opera "The Love Potion" in the second scene is associated with the appearance of a physician. The desperate Nemorino is looking for a miracle love elixir from him. After a little reflection, the charlatan hands the bottle a bottle of ordinary wine to the hero and warns that it is possible to drink this magic remedy only in a day. During this time, the healer hopes to be far from this village.

Nemorino can not wait long, so he drinks the whole bottle right away. Adina sees the change in the mood of his boyfriend. He became cheerful, jokes, promises to completely get rid of his love. In retaliation, Adina agrees to a wedding with the sergeant. Struck by this news, Nemorino begs his beloved to wait another day at least.

The second act. Scene One

Preparation for the wedding - so begins the second act of the work "Love Potion" (opera). The content of it is as follows: Nemorino is trying to find money to buy another bottle of miracle elixir. He receives them only after being registered in the ranks of soldiers.

Holding the coveted coins in his hands, Nemorino urgently goes in search of an elixir. The healer at this time is near the house of Adina.

The second act. Scene two

Rapid development of events - a feature of the last scene of the work "Love Potion" G. Donizetti.

The summary is as follows. The whole village heard the unexpected news. Died rich uncle Nemorino, leaving him all his inheritance. Only the protagonist does not know about this, because at this time he drinks the second bottle of the magical elixir of the healer. This time, Dulcamar promises an accurate and quick effect. The guy starts to believe in this, because Janetta, whom he meets on the road, is more affable than usual. However, he does not know that this is due to the fact that now Nemorino has become an enviable and wealthy bridegroom. Seeing their conversation, Adina begins to be jealous and realizes that she is in love with Nemorino.

After the intoxication of wine passes, the protagonist realizes his stupidity and falls into despair, but at this time appears Adina. She buys Nemorino's recruit note, and also agrees to his offer of the hand and heart. The finale of the opera is happy: the doctor is selling all his bottles, the sergeant is not upset because he is sure that the world is full of other beautiful girls, and peasants and servants cheerfully greet the young couple.

Reviews

"Love Potion" is one of the most successful and popular operas of Donizetti. It was repeatedly placed during the lifetime of the author, it is very relevant now. The audience says that this is an opera with a simple and good-natured plot, characteristic of such a work. According to them, it is filled with subtle humor, emotional experiences and sensitivity. Those who have at least once seen such a production, have always remembered it, because it fills with joy, bewitching with its ease and uniqueness. That is why this opera often appears on the most famous world scenes in its classical, traditional appearance, as well as in various modern interpretations.