L'Elisir d'Amore Libretto
Composer: Gaetano Donizetti
Publisher: G. Schirmer, Inc.
Languages: Italian/English
Paperback: 44 pages
Dimensions: Width: 6.7", Length: 10.5"

L’Ellisir d’Amore
Donizetti’s L’Ellisir d’Amore has been among the most consistently popular operatic comedies for almost two centuries. The story deftly combines comic archetypes with a degree of genuine character development rare in works of this type. Its ending is as much a foregone conclusion as it would be in a romantic comedy film today—the joy is in the journey. World premiere: Teatro Cannobiana, Milan, 1832. Met premiere: January 23, 1904.

Composer
Gaetano Donizetti (1797–1848)

Setting
The opera is set in a small village in rural Italy. Some early editions indicate a location in Basque country. The important fact is that it’s a place where everyone knows everyone and where traveling salesmen provide a major form of public entertainment.

Met History
L’Elisir d’Amore combines a lighthearted story with beautiful melodies and four great leading roles.