Review: The Elixir Of Love, Festival Theatre

Published on Wednesday 25 November 2009 08:35

The Elixir Of Love **** Festival Theatre

ENJOY opera, but couldn't eat a whole one? Then this might be the show for you. Beautifully staged, with a simple silly story, great performances and featuring one of the most famous arias in the business, Donizetti's comic tale of misunderstanding and love is a great way to ease yourself into the operatic world.

As this was a comic opera, suffice it to say the plot wasn't the deepest – man loves woman, woman doesn't respond, man takes fake love potion, confusion and hilarity ensue. What kept the audience in their seats and filled them with delight was the lyrical and beautifully sung music which complimented the action perfectly.

Special praise has to go to Verity Parker, who took over the role of Adina at short notice when the original lead fell ill. She gave a pitch-perfect reading of the coquettish, self-confident young woman and managed to make her perhaps more likeable than the character deserved. This was Parker's first ever lead but it was in no way evident from the skill and quality of performance she delivered.

Edgaras Montvidas as Nemorino was suitably drippy and wan when declaring his love, and drunk on the elixir he was marvellously full of bravado and arrogance.

To Nemorino fell the most difficult task of the night as he has to break into the middle of this farcical situation with one of the most heartfelt and tender arias in opera, Una furtive lagrima. That he managed to do it without it feeling like a crunching change of tone had occurred is complement to the simplicity and lack of show he put into it.

Of the other players, Marcin Bronikowski as Sergeant Belcore gave as fine a demonstration of a human cockerel as any audience could hope for. He got the mixture of bluster, pride and roguishness, which the role demands, in perfect proportion as well as demonstrating his superb commanding voice.

Undoubtedly the performer having the most fun on stage was Francesco Facini as Dulcamara, the snake oil salesman with his slick line in patter and his magnificent cabinet of lotions and potions.

It's a role which any performer would love: colourful, charming, playful and totally amoral. Facini savoured every last moment of this character and had great fun with the rich fruity lines he got to sing in his full-bodied tones. He was clearly in his element and his joy transmitted itself over the footlights.

This isn't grand opera, it's not Mozart or Wagner or Puccini. You won't feel morally improved or intellectually stimulated by this work, but what you might feel is the sense of joy that can come from watching talented and skilful performers doing something they love and doing it well.

This is a wonderfully accessible piece of music and if you feel you might like to take a nibble at the edges of opera it might be just the thing to tickle your taste buds.