Musica Viva invited to present L’Elisir d’Amore as part of Hong Kong City Hall’s 60th anniversary celebration
Among the world’s most performed operas, L’Elisir d’Amore (‘The Elixir of Love’) will be delivered by Musica Viva to opera enthusiasts in Hong Kong in January 2022, under the creative direction of Professor Lo Kingman.
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The two-act opera buffa (comic opera) L’Elisir d’Amore, much loved by opera enthusiasts around the world as the jewel of the bel canto golden age, was the first full-scale Western opera ever presented at the Concert Hall of the Hong Kong City Hall back in 1968. Professor Lo produced and directed the production himself at the time. It is particularly meaningful that this opera is featured in the milestone anniversary celebration programme of the city’s iconic performing venue.
The Leisure and Cultural Services Department has invited Musica Viva to stage this romantic comedy from 28-30 January 2022. Professor Lo proudly returns as the producer and director for this special and meaningful production of the timeless opera.
The upcoming fully-staged L’Elisir d’Amore is filled with romance and humour and will delight the audiences with its combination of classic theme and Professor Lo’s creative direction. This latest production will also feature Vivian Ip as conductor, with set designs by Isaac Wong, costume designs by Andrew Cheung, and lighting designs by Zoe Cheung. The five main characters in this romantic comedy will be shared by two casts of international and local singers.
L’Elisir d’Amore was written by composer Gaetano Donizetti (1797-1848), with a libretto by Felice Romani (1788-1865), after Eugéne Scribe’s (1791-1861) libretto for Le Philtre by Daniel Auber’s (1782-1871). This classic romantic comedy will mark its 190th anniversary in 2022, after its premiere at Teatro Lirico (formerly Teatro della Canobbiana) in Milan in May 1832.
Free of any dull moment, at times hysterically funny and occasionally poignant, the fast-paced plot of L’Elisir d’Amore, is brimming with delightful twists at every turn. It depicts a series of extraordinary events occurring within a single day. The characters’ emotional ups and downs are flawlessly delivered with music of mellifluous and melodic beauty. Simple-minded peasant Nemorino has lasting unrequited love for the rich and beautiful Adina, despite her total lack of attention to him. In comes the strapping Sergeant Belcore who becomes immediately besotted with Adina and begins to woo her. The desperate Nemorino is left with no option other than turning to Dulcamara, a travelling quack doctor. Hilarity ensues as Dulcamara wastes no time in selling his titular Elixir of Love to the lovesick Nemorino. The audiences will be gripped by the plot’s twists and turns: will Adina ever notice Nemorino? Will Sergeant Belcore win Adina’s affection? Will Nemorino ever find out that the Elixir is nothing but cheap wine?
This beloved opera buffa will be performed by two casts of talented international and local singers. Manuel Amati and Norman Shankle will star as the lovesick Nemorino, Sang-eun Lee and Ilaria Vanacore as the vivacious Adina, and Enrico Marabelli and Burak Bilgili as the dishonest Dulcamara. The cast is rounded out by Isaac Droscha and Frankie Fung as the brash Sergeant Belcore and Vivian Yau and Vicki Wu as the sassy Giannetta.
L’Elisir d’Amore
An opera buffa in two acts performed in Italian with Chinese and English subtitles.
Date & Time:
● 28 January (Friday), 7:30 pm
● 29 January (Saturday), 2:30pm and 7:30 pm
● 30 January (Sunday), 2:30 pm
Venue: Concert Hall, Hong Kong City Hall
Runtime: 2 hours 20 mins with a 15-min interval
Tickets available for purchase at URBTIX from 1 December 2021.
Performers include:
Nemorino:
Manuel Amati (28 and 29 January 2022, 7:30pm)
Norman Shankle (29 and 30 January 2022, 2:30pm)
Adina:
Sylvia Sang-eun Lee (28 and 29 January 2022, 7:30pm)
Ilaria Vanacore (29 and 30 January 2022, 2:30pm)
Dulcamara:
Enrico Marabelli (28 and 29 January 2022, 7:30pm)
Burak Bilgili (29 and 30 January 2022, 2:30pm)
Belcore:
Isaac Droscha (28 and 29 January 2022, 7:30pm)
Frankie Fung (29 and 30 January 2022, 2:30pm)
Giannetta:
Vivian Yau (28 and 29 January 2022, 7:30pm)
Vicki Wu (29 and 30 January 2022, 2:30pm)