L elisir d amore - Una furtiva lagrima (Vittorio Grigolo, The Royal Opera)

Vittorio Grigolo as Nemorino sings Una furtiva lagrima from Act II of Laurent Pelly s production of Gaetano Donizetti s L elisir d amore. Find out more at http://www.roh.org.uk/elisir L elisir d amore is one of the most frequently performed of all Donizetti s operas. It combines a touching love story and hilarious comedy with beautiful music, including the much-loved aria Una furtiva lagrima . The opera’s premiere in Milan in 1832 was a triumph and secured Donizetti s place as one of the leading Italian opera composers of his day. The Royal Opera s charming production is set in the sun-drenched countryside of 1950s Italy, complete with haystacks, Vespas and even a stray dog. It is injected with lively, visual humour, from Nemorino s tipsy clowning to Dulcamara s lumbering truck from which he sells his quack remedies. Donizetti deftly brings his characters alive with a sparkling score: Nemorino s love for Adina is expressed through lyrical arias; Adina’s animated, flamboyant style softens as her feelings towards Nemorino begin to change – and all the while Dulcamara endlessly chatters away with irrepressible self-belief.