L’elisir d’Amore

L’elisir d’Amore, by Donizetti, presented by the Metropolitan Opera with Luciano Pavarotti ★★★★
Donizettis’ opera L’elisir d’Amore is a wonderfully tuneful opera, that is quite enjoyable to watch. The Metropolitan Opera does a fairly well-staged production, though sometimes slightly lacking in the charm that other productions of this opera have been able to produce. Pavarotti, the world’s best voice that you love to hate, does a predictably stellar job as lead tenor in the opera. This production was done in 1981 and is a live opera. It is slightly annoying to hear the New Yorkers slubbering over Pavarotti by giving a prolonged clap every time he sings. Also, there is not the best sound mixing, in that the orchestra always comes in stronger than the voices, so the voices are not the easiest to hear. Pavarotti is much younger in this opera than we remember him and had a better ability to act than when he got older and quite more obese. Betsy and I both enjoyed this opera, and it should be a part of an educated opera buffs’ library.