Shepherd School presents ‘L’elisir d’amore’

The elixir of love
Shepherd School presents ‘L’elisir d’amore’

BY JESSICA STARK
Rice News staff

The Shepherd School of Music will delight opera and musical lovers alike with a four-show production of Gaetano Donizetti’s ”L’elisir d’amore,” a beloved comic opera about a love elixir, performed by the Shepherd School Opera and the Shepherd School Chamber Orchestra.

Master of music student Amanda Grooms plays the role of Adina in Donizetti’s “L’elisir d’amore.” Grooms studies voice with Stephen King, professor and chair of voice. DAVID LONG

“L’elisir d’amore” tells the story of a peasant, Nemorino, who tries to woo the wealthy Adina, despite her favor for a conceited soldier. Nemorino drinks a magical elixir that will cause any woman to fall in love with him, but Adina still agrees to marry the soldier.

The question throughout the opera isn’t who will get the girl but how the girl will be gotten. How will the love potion — really a bottle of Bordeaux — unleash magical powers that bring Nemorino and Adina together in the end? That question will be answered through ensembles and melodies, including “Una furtive lagrima,” the famous aria in which Nemorino realizes that Adina loves him.

“L’elisir d’amore” is one of the most frequently performed of Donizetti’s operas and there are a number of recordings. It appears as No. 20 on Opera America’s list of the 20 most-performed operas in North America.

Richard Bado, director of the opera studies, will conduct, and Thomas Hong, a graduate student, will conduct the final performance March 24. Debra Dickinson, artist teacher of opera studies, will direct the opera, which is part of the Leon Wilson Clark Opera Series. The performances will be sung in Italian and have English subtitles.

Performances are at 7:30 p.m. March 19, 20, 22 and 24 in Wortham Opera Theater, Alice Pratt Brown Hall.

Tickets are $12 for general seating and $10 for students and senior citizens. For tickets, call 713-348-8000.