ENCORE OPERA FOUNDED BY STEVE SCHWARTZ For March 6, 2019 A FURTIVE TEAR by GENE MARTIN This Week’s Program I am reprinting Steve’s and my Notes G Donizetti’s for a repeat performance which includes an encore ! L’Elisir d’Amore The best two parts of this opera for me are The Elixir of Love first the encore of Una furtiva lagrima that with English Subtitles Rolando Villazon sang during the recorded ————- performance and second, watching Anna Runtime: 130 minutes • Produced by Netrebko’s flirting with anyone except him. Österreichischer Rundfunk (ORF) 2005 for TV DVD released 2006 by Virgin Classics Watch carefully after Mr. V brings the MPAA not rated • ASIN: B000F3T3CS house down when he sings “Una…” to see the camera catch the momentary interplay NOTES by STEVE SCHWARTZ between artist and conductor, as their This opera may be the most famous and glances seem to say, “So, do it again? popular of buffa opera. A Sure, let’s.” (See page 4 for translation.) simple-minded, good-hearted country Moreover, I love the fact that Donizetti bumpkin wins the heart of our heroine wrote Nemorino’s victory aria —he has who never gave him a nod before. won, finally she loves him— as a love song “How did this miracle come to pass?” you rather than a triumphant anthem, a song may ask. The answer is simple: his rich of concern about his love and her pain at uncle died and left him a fortune. That watching all the “girls” pursue him, stroke of luck caused her to recognize his thinking that now she has lost him. endearing qualities that she did not see NEXT FRIDAY before. No, she’s not a gold-digger, she We will start March with a Concert featuring just never allowed herself to see those Marilyn Horne and . Two traits in him until some unexpected amazing sopranos!!! events served to open her eyes. PRINCIPAL CAST That’s the short version. Let me give you Nemorino (tenor), our hero: Rolando Villazon a more complete narrative of the plot Adina (soprano), our heroine: that Donizetti set to music in 1832. Sgt. Belcore (), an army non-com: Leo Nucci ACT ONE Dr. Dulcamara, (bass-baritone) a charlatan: The curtain rises on Adina’s working Ildebrando D’Arcangelo farm, her workers are on lunch break. Giannetta (soprano), friend of Adina: Inna Los Nemorino enters, followed by Adina. Alfred Eschwé Conductor, Vienna State Orchestra Our hero pines away for Adina, but no directed this production for broadcast matter how hard he tries to get her attention, she never gives him a tumble. Page 1 of 4 To entertain her workers, she reads to behind the curtain. Like Morgan’s them from a book she’s reading, the love Wizard, we really can’t dislike him story “Tristan and Isolde”, on which despite his being a fraud. Wagner later based his opera. Nemorino After making his spiel to the crowd, he is intrigued when he hears how Tristan finds the perfect patsy in Nemorino, who wins Isolde’s heart by drinking a secret is thinking of the Tristan and Isolde story, love potion (“Della Crudele Isotto”) and and asks the “doctor” if he has a magic thinks “Oh, how I wish I had such a love potion for sale. Dulcamara quickly potion so I could win Adina’s love”. relieves Nemorino of his pittance of cash Sergeant Belcore, a smug braggart, while assuring him that the stuff is arrives with his men. His obvious conceit guaranteed to work on all women only amuses Adina. Her lack of interest provided that he keeps its properties goads him, so he asks her to marry him, secret and waits 24 hours before a ploy we assume he’s used before; he’s expecting it to take effect — by which sure no girl can resist such a macho man. time Dulcamara will be out of town. Adina fends him off, promising to think it Of course our gullible hero buys a bottle over, but she has no interest in this and immediately starts taking swigs of it. blowhard. She’s more interested in Soon he is tipsy, which gives him a Nemorino’s reaction, so we know, despite completely new level of self-confidence. her aloofness, she really has suppressed So, when Adina next meets him, instead feelings for him. Nemorino is worried he of his usual fawning behavior with her, will lose her to the dashing soldier. Nemorino completely ignores her. Her When Nemorino is alone with Adina, he vanity offended, Adina decides to make tries to woo her with the same pleas that him jealous and announces she will marry failed before. She claims to have no Belcore after six days, which leaves her romantic interest in him, and suggests he time to find a way to get out of it. spend his time caring for his ailing rich Belcore has orders to leave town the next uncle who might otherwise disinherit day, so Nemorino happily thinks he’ll win him. When he says he’s too much in love her after all, for by then the elixir will with her, she becomes more direct, have kicked in. But, Belcore insists the telling him that pursuing her would be wedding take place immediately and foolish since she likes to play the field. Nemorino loses all hope. Dr. Dulcamara arrives with much ACT TWO fanfare, his donkey-drawn wagon filled Later that day, everyone has gathered for with bottles of his special, all-purpose the wedding ceremony. Well, almost “medicine” for sale to the local yokels. everyone. Adina is disturbed that This being opera buffa, the ensuing Nemorino is missing. After all, she got into nuances and light touches are part of this situation just to elicit his jealousy. these stock characters’ one-dimensional Soon it is time for the ceremony but personas. Dulcamara reminds us of the Nemorino is still missing. charlatan played by Frank Morgan in “The Wizard of Oz” where he is the man Adina stalls for time, but the notary Page 2 of 4 arrives, and she and Belcore go into the and all the girls flock around him; Adina house to sign the marriage contract. While is doubly impressed by his behavior. the group is waiting, Dulcamara sings a Soon, everyone leaves the stage to Venetian barcarolle about a lady gondolier Nemorino, and we are treated to a and her much older but wealthy suitor. marvelous rendition of the opera’s Finally, Nemorino arrives and since speed showpiece, “Una Fortiva Lagrima” (a is now of the essence, he tells Dulcamara secret tear). he wants to buy another bottle. The audience applauds lustily for several “Certainly” Dulcamara responds, “but first minutes until the camera catches the you have to pay for it.” Nemorino is conductor and Villazon’s visual communication crest-fallen. He spent all his money on the and Villazon sings the aria encore. first bottle. “Ah, woe is me”, he laments. In this aria, Nemorino tells us that he has Belcore leaves the house, angry that his noticed a secret tear in Adina’s eyes, bride-to-be postponed the wedding. He which he interprets as proof that she thinks Nemorino is the cause so when he loves him. Victory might have been his hears Nemorino’s plaintive cries about his finally! But, now as we know, he is in lack of funds, he suggests a solution to Belcore’s squad and must leave soon. him. “You can get more money”, he tells Adina returns, and we hear a delightful him, all you have to do is enlist in the duet in which she informs Nemorino that army, and I will hand you 20 scudi on the she has bought back his enlistment spot. Nemorino mulls over his options papers to return them to him. At first and signs the enlistment papers. Belcore Nemorino rejects this, but when she tells rejoices that he has killed two birds with him she has become more aware of his one stone: not only has he gained many sterling qualities and has fallen in another recruit, but his rival for Adina’s love with him, he rejoices. hand will now be out of the way and the Watch their interaction as these two singers nuptials can proceed. dance and kiss their way across the stage. The plot takes a new turn when the You will see the attraction and affection that village girls enter and Gianetta made these two artists among the most announces that Nemorino’s prosperous, sought after on-stage couple, portraying sick uncle died and left all his fortune to feelings that are widely said to have been Nemorino. expressed off-stage as well. All the girls suddenly find him attractive Now that the lovers are finally together, and Nemorino is sure the magic elixir is the entire cast returns so the opera can working. Adina enters, and while she end with the general rejoicing. The lovers, knows that stuff was not the cause, she of course, could not be happier, but even now looks upon Nemorino in a different the other two men are content. Belcore light, and expresses regret at having finds solace thinking of the many other treated him with such disdain in the past. girls he can woo now, and Dulcamara Nemorino comes back carrying a takes advantage of the situation by selling ridiculously oversized jug of the potion, another bunch of bottles of his potion to the now-impressed villagers. Page 3 of 4 Happiness abounds off-stage as well, for A “Poetic” Translation of “Una furtiva lagrima” we can all exit smiling, just as an audience of a comic opera is supposed to do. A furtive teardrop fell, softly ✍ shadowing her sparkling eyes; Steve Schwartz Seeing the other girls follow me caused her jealous sighs. What could be more prized than this? What could I ever prize more? She loves me, she loves me, I saw that she loves me. Encore Opera is published weekly to inform the Could I but feel her heart on mine, Riderwood Opera Theater community. It is edited and breathing her tender sigh! printed by Gene Martin and distributed by Paula Cook Could my own sighing comfort her, to the cubbies of residents without email. • For a free and whisper in sweet reply! subscription, send name and (cubby) address to Paula Her heart on mine, as heart to heart we sigh, Cook, KC 211 or email to [email protected]. So tenderly we'd share a sweet reply! Riderwood Opera Theater presents recorded programs Heaven, then I could die; by Encore Opera and live concerts by The Purple Lady more I'd never ask you, I'd never ask you. produced variously by Mike Beard, Paula Cook, Trudy Ah! heaven, then I could die; Downs, Betty Dunkins, David Knutson, Sally Koenig, No more I'd ask of you, I'd ask of you. Joan Kugler, Gene Martin, Al Morey, Sally Porter, Steve Then I could die, I could die of love. Schwartz, Millie Trimble, and Ken Welliver. We invite you to join us. 202-352-0725 primary translation from the U of Indiana, edited by Gene

PURPLE LADY • OPERA FOR BEETHOVEN • WED. FEB 26 • 7:30 PM • C0HAPEL

OPERA NOTES FOR : Friday at 1:00 PM at Encore Theater

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