Donizetti’s charming two-act romantic comedy, The Elixir of Love (L’elisir d’amore) is one of his most frequently performed operas and is a firm favourite with opera houses worldwide. This new production, under the directorship of Harry Fehr, marks a welcome return of the opera to the London Coliseum: it is the first time that it has been staged here since 2011.
Fehr, making his ENO directorial debut, has set his production in England during World War II (as opposed to 19th-century Italy), and, along with Set Designer Nicky Shaw, has framed it as a TV sitcom episode, with this story of unrequited love unfolding against a backdrop of a beautiful English country house estate stagged by Land Girls and locals. The tone is set early: the first sight that greets audience members is a projected revolving globe with the logo ‘ENO COLOUR’ emblazoned below. The story follows the capricious Adina (Rhian Lois) who is pursued by the devoted, hapless Nemorino (Thomas Atkins), and dashing, preening RAF officer, Belcore (Dan D’Souza). In a desperate attempt to win the affections of his beloved Adina after being spurned by her, Nemorino buys a love potion (the ‘elixir of love’) from the travelling quack doctor, Dulcamara (Brandon Cedel), unaware that he has only bought a bottle of wine. Of course, love ends up conquering all, but it’s not until the audience and most of the Land Girls discover that Nemorino has inherited a fortune from his uncle. The Land Girls, led by a charming and vocally impressive Segomotso Masego as Giannetta, immediately ‘fall in love’ with him. And that in turn gives Nemorino the confidence to approach Adina again without fear of failure.
In the bel canto opera style, this tale of misguided confidence and romance demands lyrical flexible singing from its leads, and both Lois (a former Harewood Artisit, returning to the ENO after her recent and heart-rending performances as Janine/Ofwarren in The Handmaid’s Tale in 2022 and 2024) and Atkins (a Jette Parker graduate, making his ENO debut in the role of Nemorino) possess the light yet powerful voices that make apparently easy work of arias like ‘Of the cruel Isolde’. From start to finish, Rhian Lois was phenomenal, with outstanding range, lyricism and dynamic control. Effortless ornamentation elevated her performance. She makes a bewitchingly ravishing Adina – sassy, poised and tender in equal measure. Nemorino is Thomas Atkins’ first big role for ENO, and he makes a tremendous impression. There's a supple ease to his velvety, lyrical, yet powerful tenor voice and a stylish elegance to his phrasing. He's an appealing actor, with huge, expressive eyes and a slightly hangdog air: the way he charts Nemorino's transformation from shy nerd to self-possessed lover is wonderfully touching. Brilliantly characterising his part, and his subtle interpretation of ‘A furtive tear’ was hauntingly memorable. His vocals were spot on throughout: warm, expressive and charismatic. Dan D’Souza’s Belcore, with a full and expressive baritone, was totally credible and full of hilarious vocal word painting and bragadoccio. His entry aria, ‘Just as the charming Paris’ beautifully executed, playing to Adina’s machinations. The entry of Dr Dulcamara is always a highlight, and internationally acclaimed American bass-baritone Brandon Cedel (making his ENO debut as Dulcamara) played the part of gloriously seedy swindling charlatan with great aplomb. He swaggers around in his double-breasted suit, flanked by two flunkies, concocting and selling various potions to cure all ills. The apogee of his characterisation of the sleazily charming con artist came in the second act, during the Venetian duet with Adina. 'I am rich, and you are beautiful’ performed with simple props, brought the house down.
Conducted by Austrian-Spanish conductor Teresa Riverio Böhm, making her house debut, the orchestra and chorus of the ENO were yet again on superb form. This fast-paced work, requires immaculate timing and meticulous attention to detail, and under Böhm's baton, it received both.
Fehr gets the opera's slightly tricky tone absolutely right. It's very funny and often rather touching. But we're also quietly reminded that this is ultimately a work about how money confers desirability on its possessors, and that a touch of harshness lurks behind its surface charm.
Elixir of Love (L'elisir d'amore) at English National Opera, London Coliseum, St Martin's Lane, London WC2N 4ES
For tickets, please visit eno.org/whats-on/the-elixir-of-love
