Glorious music and singing in Donizetti’s romantic comedy

Glorious music and singing, drama, spectacle and a happy ending are on the menu at the Town Hall Theatre next Tuesday, December 9, when Donizetti’s romantic comedy, The Elixir of Love will be performed.

A cast of five solo singers, backed by a chorus of 12 and a 12-strong orchestra – led by Galway’s ConTempo Quartet – will take to the stage in this large-scale production, which is being presented by Ireland’s Opera Theatre Company (OTC) and Northern Ireland Opera (NI Opera).

The Elixir of Love – L’elisir d’amore – was written by Italian composer, Gaetano Donizetti in the 1830s and, as is unusual among operas in that it has a happy ending, says Fergus Shiel of OTC, who has directed the orchestra and chorus for this production. “Most operas end in tragedies and while there are a lot of twists and turns in this one, it does have a happy ending.” Known for its spellbinding music and arias, Donizetti’s Elixir of Love is a story where love is unrequited, passion is thwarted and deception dominates – but all comes good in the end. “It has a really famous aria, Una furtive Lagrima, that everyone will know, although they mightn’t know it is from this opera,” says Fergus, who adds there has been a great reaction to the national seven-week tour, which is now at the half-way mark.

For more, see this week’s Connacht Tribune