Emerald City Opera @ Julie Harris Theater, Perry-Mansfield - August 2009

Music by Gaetano Donizetti            Libretto by Felice Romani
English Version by Ruth and Thomas Martin
Directed by Sarah Meyer
Assistant Direction/Choreography by Keturah Stickann
Set Backdrop by Grosh Scenic Rentals                Costume Coordination by Mimi Hill

Donizetti's The Elixir of Love is a lighthearted romp, featuring a phony love potion that's nothing but a bottle of cheap, red wine.  Still, along with all the laughs, Donizetti's unassuming comedy does serve up a couple of solid insights.  It demonstrates that, when it comes to love, the genuine article beats any potion-induced passion.  And it suggests that, when searching for a magic formula to stimulate the libido, human foibles can make placebos safer and more effective than any mysterious elixir.  (Source: World of Opera online)