Les Arts opens its preseason with a “young and current” production of Donizetti’s “L’elisir d’amore”.

The Palau de les Arts Reina Sofía premieres this Saturday, October 1, “L'elisir d'amore”, by Donizetti, the opera with which the II Preseason begins with popular prices.

Keri-Lynn Wilson returns to the podium at Les Arts ten years after her first collaboration with the Orquestra de la Comunitat Valenciana (OCV), in February 2007, in a concert featuring mezzo-soprano Olga Borodina and bass Ildar Abdrazakov.

According to the Canadian conductor, “If I was already impressed ten years ago by the excellent level of the OCV, in my first opera with them I was able to see how much they have grown and matured in this time, their perfect technique and great respect for opera and voices. In just ten years they have achieved a level that takes other ensembles 50 years to reach.”

The arts center is reviving its production of “L'elisir d'amore,” a co-production with the Teatro Real, which has been requested by the opera houses of Brussels, Graz, and Palermo. Damiano Michieletto directs the production, with set design by Paolo Fantin, costumes by Silvia Aymonino, and lighting by Alessandro Carletti.

This time, Eleonora Gravagnola is directing the revival of this work, which Keri-Lynn Wilson describes as "worthy of Broadway for its freshness and energy." The director, who has assisted Damiano Michieletto on his major collaborations, highlighted the youthful and contemporary vision of this opera, whose action unfolds over a single day and night on a Valencian beach.

In Michieletto's production, Adina runs the beach bar where Giannetta works. Nemorino is a humble handyman whose greatest joy is gazing upon the beautiful Adina. Dulcamara is a modern-day charlatan who promises happiness in exchange for his energy drinks, while Belcore is a sailor newly arrived in port who disembarks on the shore eager for female companionship.

“This setting, the beach, simply captures the necessary relationships of the libretto and enhances the enjoyment and credibility for today’s audiences. In the first act, it is the beach during the day, with families and children playing. In the second act, it is the beach at night, with the partying, the alcohol, the sex, the jokes, and then the desolate and empty beach where Nemorino sings 'Una furtiva lagrima,' one of the most celebrated moments of the score.”

“The story of “L’elisir d’amore” is funny but also sad because it shows us the unfortunate Nemorino, who tries everything possible and impossible to win Adina’s heart. He even tries a magic elixir that promises love, but the potion itself is a lie.”

Prominent artists, young singers, and alumni of the Centre Plácido Domingo make up the cast of the production. Soprano Ilona Mataradze, one of the Centre's first artists to enjoy an international career, alternates the role of Adina with Karen Gardeazabal, from the current cohort of the artistic program.

Meanwhile, the rising American tenor William Davenport, who will also sing in Donizetti's "Lucrezia Borgia", plays the role of Nemorino, which he has already sung successfully in the United States, where he has been hailed as one of the most promising talents in the Italian repertoire.

Paolo Bordogna is one of the leading stars of the operatic repertoire, with performances at the world's major opera houses and over 50 roles to his name. He made his debut at Les Arts in 2011 with "La Cenerentola" and returns to play Dulcamara, the charlatan in "L'elisir d'amore."

The baritone Mattia Olivieri, who also trained at the Centre de Perfeccionament and currently sings regularly in prestigious theaters and festivals such as Glyndebourne, the Rome Opera House, and La Scala in Milan, is Belcore. The cast is completed by the renowned bel canto soprano Caterina di Tonno (Giannetta).

One of the favorites in the repertoire

“L’elisir d’amore” is a comic opera in two acts with a libretto by Felice Romani , based on Eugène Scribe’s libretto for “Le philtre” by Daniel-François-Esprit Auber. Premiered in Milan in 1832, it recounts the trials and tribulations of the naive Nemorino as he tries to win the love of the wealthy and aloof Adina. It was such a success that the opera ran for 32 consecutive days and premiered in Spain just a year later.

Donizetti's work is one of the essential pieces in the operatic repertoire and ranks among the top fifteen most frequently performed titles in the grand repertoire. Its score contains some of the most popular arias of the genre, such as 'Una furtiva lagrima' and 'Chiedi all'aura lusinghiera'.

In addition to the premiere this Saturday, October 1, Les Arts will host further performances of “L'elisir d'amore” on the 4th, 7th, 9th, and 12th of that same month. Ticket prices range from 7 to 50 euros, with intermediate prices of 40, 28, 20, and 15 euros.