KNOXVILLE — “Excuse me, doctor, how much for a love potion?”
L’Elisir d’Amore (The Elixir of Love) is the comical love story about Nemorino, who has fallen hard for Adina, the woman who signs his paycheck and is out of his league and torments him with her apparent indifference. The simple solution? A legendary love potion from a quack doctor. But will it work before she walks down the aisle with another guy — tonight?
The opera and comic masterpiece by the Italian composer Gaetano Donizetti will be performed by the University of Tennessee’s Opera Theatre at 8 p.m. Friday, Nov. 12; 8 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 13; and 2:30 p.m. on Sunday, Nov. 14. All performances will be held at the Bijou Theatre.
Sharing the role of Nemorino are tenors Erik Lickiss, a UT opera theatre master’s degree candidate, and Christopher Swanson, UT opera theatre veteran and guest artist. The remainder of the cast of UT undergraduate and graduate singers is led by sopranos Anna Eschbach and Theresa Dunigan sharing the role of Adina, the object of Nemorino’s ardent love. Baritone Jesse Stock plays Nemorino’s rival, the cocky Sgt. Belcore, and the role of Dr. Dulcamara, the snake oil salesman at the heart of the plot, is performed by baritone Kevin Doherty. UT School of Music Visiting Associate Professor of Opera Michael McConnell is the stage director; UTOT Music Director Kevin Class conducts.
English translation of the libretto is projected above the stage so you can follow every nuance of the plot.
Written in an astounding two weeks, the opera first premiered in Milan in 1832 and is one of the most performed operas in North America.
Tickets are $15 for general admission, $10 for senior citizens and $5 for UT students. For tickets, call 865-656-4444 or 865-684-1200 or go online at http://www.knoxbijou.com.
Mark your calendars for UT Opera Theatre’s showings of Albert Herring, by Benjamin Britten, which will be performed April 9-11, 2011.
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C O N T A C T :
Donna Hundley, School of Music, (865-974-5678, dhundley@utk.edu)
Kristi Hintz, UT Media Relations, (865-974-3993, khintz@utk.edu)