SO: On Screen | L’elisir d’amore 2021

Love blooms in this spirited new telling of Donizetti’s evergreen rom-com, from the director of SO: On Screen’s Così fan tutte. What hope does a poor gardener have? None, in the romantic jungle of Regency England. Or so it would seem. Naïve young Nemorino adores Adina (who also happens to be his boss). Adina, wealthy and sophisticated, barely notices his existence. Enter Dulcamara – travelling salesman extraordinaire – and his miraculous ‘elixir of love’! But will it be magic, or a more natural kind of chemistry altogether, that finally brings this oddly-matched pair together? Donizetti’s sparkling score balances mischievous humour with beautifully tender moments – including Nemorino’s poignant ‘Una furtiva lagrima’ – the story fizzing along between sincere sentiment and fast-paced patter.