The Elixirs of Love

Robinson culled a cast that was game for a romp. Inva Mula and Ramon Vargas stay as Adina and Nemorino. (She was not willing to commit, he is crazy about her.) They are perfectly cast, looking the part of cunning, sexy vixen and simple but honest country boy. Mula is making her SF Opera debut, but you might know her as the singing alien life form from the Fifth Element (worth clicking through). She is charming throughout, with maybe a hint of shrillness in the high register. We are smitten all the same. Vargas has a classic bel canto tenor sound. His pitch could be a bit more focused, but he has warmth and a bright tone, and is totally huggable.

Enter two other protagonists: a sergeant, Belcore (Giorgio Caoduro) and a charlatan, Dulcamara (Alessandro Corbelli). The first one attempts to sweep Adina away, while the second procures Nemorino with what he believes will be the solution to his problems: an elixir of love which will woo her and fend off the advance of Belcore. Both characters are caricatures, and they are played here with gusto. We liked the unctuous voice of Caoduro, and the exhuberant, flamboyant portrayal of Corbelli.

The cast is rounded with Ji Young Yang, as a village maiden, Gianetta. In the family version, Ji Young takes the role of Adina, with effortless grace. We guess if Mula were to twist an ankle, she's ready to jump in. Adler fellow Alex Shrader becomes Nemorino, and former Adler Eugene Brancoveanu the sergeant. And they acquit themselves of the roles beautifully. Dale Travis has no relationship to the Adler program, but sang Dulcamara nonetheless with glee. None would be out of place in the extended version. Brancoveanu still has the engaging acting and the potent voice we remember him for. Alek Shrader, who was a frail old man in Idomeneo, has the comic acting chop pat down. We loved Vargas's una furtiva lagrima aria, but Shrader's was splendid as well.

The audience of the family performance seemed a bit distracted during the love arias, there was quite some fidgeting when subtle inner emotions were dissected at length, but the kids enjoyed the antics of the doctor, the overconfidence of Belcore, and the Pavlovian football players, a bunch of supernumeraries who have the urge, when seeing a football, to tackle its holder and pile up over him.

Either way, extended or abrdiged, in Italian or in English, we enjoyed a joyous, bubbly celebration of love.

The Elixir of Love
Performances on Fri Nov 14 2008 8 pm, Tue Nov 18 2008 8 pm, Sun Nov 23 2008 2 pm and Wed Nov 26 2008 7:30 pm.
The Elixir of Love for Families
Performance on Sat Nov 15 2008 12:30 pm
War Memorial Opera House
Box Office: 415-864-3330