Glyndebourne's sun-drenched picnic lawns anticipated the opera’s setting – sun-bleached olive groves in southern Italy where Nemorino, a poor peasant, is in love with the beautiful landowner, Adina.
She so mocks his courtship that he is driven to purchase a love potion from a travelling quack medicine man.
Although only red wine, it acts as a placebo that gives him confidence in his interactions with her.
After several skirmishes Adina realises she is in fact in love with him and a happy ending is achieved.
Joyously comical and full of infectious music, this opera has been well staged.
A full chorus is used to good effect, especially in the overture and entre act where the music is enhanced with movement setting the scene.
Danielle de Niese enchants with the clarity of her soaring voice and with the transition from teasing hardness to a softer, loving nature as she sensitively sings Prendi, Per Me Sei Libero.
Giannetta, her friend, is sung and played by Manuela Bisceglie with flirtatiousness and liveliness, especially when leading gossiping village women.
There are strong performances from Rodion Pogossov as the swaggering army sergeant, Belcore, and Paolo Gavanelli, the charlatan Dr Dulcamara whose mute servant, played by James Bellorini, provides excellent comedy with his miming.
Stephen Costello, struck with tonsillitis, was replaced in the role of Nemorino by understudy Michael Wade Lee, who proved to be outstanding and fully deserved the ovation he received after his aria, Una Furtive Lagrima and at the curtain.
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