Friday 26th and Saturday 27th April 2024Opera South East presents...
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Director: Eleanor Strutt
Conductor: Marcio da Silva Directed by Eleanor Strutt, and conducted by Marcio da Silva who will be joined by the Sussex Concert Orchestra in the pit for this wonderful feast of music and drama, and of course the chorus of Opera South East singing on stage, with Principal performers, as below...
The elixir of love - Box Office and Tickets1. White Rock Theatre Box Office, Hastings, TN34 1JX
=== OR === 2. OSE direct:
Pre-show TalkThere will be a pre-show talk from the Director at 6pm on Saturday April 27th 2024. This is free and open to all ticket holders from both evenings and lasts about 20 minutes.
Synopsis - About The elixir of loveDuring the early 1950s, in Hastings, a poor lad called Nemorino fell in love with a pretty, rich girl named Adina. But Adina disdained wimpy Nemorino in favour of a handsome but somewhat obnoxious Sergeant Belcore.
One day, an itinerant con artist, Dr. Dulcamara, comes to town, peddling fantastic lotions and potions, including a magical elixir of love. Nemorino gleefully buys a bottle, certain that Adina will succumb to its wondrous power. Instead, she is infuriated by his sudden change in behaviour and, just to spite Nemorino, decides to marry Sergeant Belcore. In despair, Nemorino enlists in the army, planning to leave Hastings and Adina for ever. Meanwhile a gossipy girl named Gianetta shares a secret with all the women of the village: Nemorino’s rich uncle has died, leaving him a fortune. Suddenly Nemorino is overwhelmed with female attention. Adina is jealous and heartbroken. She buys back Nemorino’s enlistment papers and finally admits that she loves him. Nemorino is ecstatic Fortified by the alcohol content of two large bottles of elixir, he works up the courage to confront Sergeant Belcore and punches him in the nose. The opera ends as the entire town gathers to cheer the young lovers and celebrate the astonishing power of Dr. Dulcamara’s elixir of love. The Director - Eleanor Strutt
Director Eleanor Strutt makes her debut with Opera South East and comes highly regarded having directed an acclaimed and powerful production of Becoming Carmen for Prologue Opera at The Stables Theatre in Hastings last November.
Eleanor graduated with a first in Music from King’s College London, and a distinction for her MMus in Vocal Performance at Trinity Laban, studying with Joan Rodgers, Alison Wells, and Robert Bottreil. Opera South East are pleased to announce their forthcoming production of Donizetti's comic opera, The Elixir of Love, in two acts at the White Rock Theatre, Hastings.
Following her success with Opera South East's production of Carmen in April 2023, Artistic Director, Eleanor Strutt, who first came to prominence to Hastings audiences with her collaboration in Prologue Opera's production of 'Becoming Carmen' in the autumn of 2022, returns to the south coast to set this production of The Elixir of Love in the seaside resort of Hastings. In the early 1950s, the local council have decided to promote the town as a seaside resort, producing colourful leaflets and posters, all aimed at convincing potential holidaymakers that the town offers a glamorous alternative to what were still straitened post-war circumstances. The star of the advertising campaign is the wealthy and attractive Adina, who loves being the centre of attention. She is pursued by two would-be suitors: the simple Nemorino, and the cocky sergeant Belcore. When the spiv "doctor" Dulcamara, visits the town with his miracle cures, Nemorino asks if he has an "Elixir of Love". Ever the salesman, Dulcamara repurposes a bottle of cheap wine to the credulous Nemorino. But then, magically, the "Elixir of Love" seems to have its desired effect.... Following Ken Roberts' OSE retirement after last April's production of Carmen, Opera South East have appointed Marcio da Silva as its Musical Director and Conductor. Marcio is well known to Hastings audiences having made a huge contribution to the musical life of the whole town, offering an impressive range of high-quality choral, orchestral and chamber music performances each year since his arrival in Hastings just over a decade ago. Opera South East is also delighted to welcome Helen May to the cast for this production, who plays the role of Adina, with John Twitchen as the hapless Nemorino, with Richard Woodall as Dr Dulcamara, Oshri Segev as Belcore and Eleanor Westbrook as Adina's friend, Gianetta. Marcio da Silva, Conductor and Musical Director Marcio da Silva, Conductor & Musical Director
Born in Brazil, Marcio da Silva studied voice, and choral and orchestral conducting at the Conservatoire de Toulouse, France and the Musikhochschule Freiberg, Germany, followed by a Master’s in conducting at the Royal College of Music. Marcio was Music Director of Woodhouse Opera from 2012 until its final season in 2018. In 2020, he acted as Stage and Music Director for Hampstead Garden Opera. He is also the founder and director of the opera company Ensemble OrQuesta. He has stage and music directed over 30 varied productions. Marcio was music director of the Grange Choral Society from 2012-2022. He is the founder, Artistic Director, and conductor of the Hastings Philharmonic Orchestra, the HPO Singers, and HPO Songbirds, and the music director of the Billingshurst Choral Society and the Hastings Philharmonic Choir. He has wide-ranging experience as an orchestral conductor, having conducted orchestras in Germany, Brazil, Turkey, the Czech Republic, Kosovo, Poland, and Italy. Marcio also performs regularly as an opera singer and recitalist and is an experienced vocal coach.
The CastPrincipals
Helen May
Adina - a wealthy landowner Sharp tongued, willful, pretty, and vain, Adina is not your usual sentimental ingénue. She is the richest girl in town, and unusually independent for a woman of her time. She is hiding a fondness/attraction to Nemorino, and is secretly charmed by his lunatic behaviour. Lively, bold, funny, goofy, furious, haughty, sweet, sincere, sexy and passionate Hailed as ‘superb’ on stage (The Observer), ‘with the flexibility of tone and dramatic power that holds an audience rapt’ (Plays to See), soprano Helen May has been applauded for her ‘vibrant, powerful and alluring’ vocal and dramatic delivery (Alcina, Handel), and praised for her ‘exquisite’ voice, her 'vocal bravura', and the 'blistering eroticism' of her dramatic characterisation (Poppea, Monteverdi). Helen has undertaken lead roles for Woodhouse Opera, Hampstead Garden Opera, Royal Academy Opera, Ensemble OrQuesta, Barefoot Opera, Bury Court Opera, London Opera Players, Hastings Philharmonic Orchestra, and Oxfordshire Contemporary Opera. Roles have included: Mimi (La bohème, Puccini); Mozart’s La Contessa and Susanna (Le Nozze di Figaro), Pamina (Die Zauberflöte), and Despina (Cosi fan tutte). Oratorio highlights include Brahms Ein Deutsches Requiem, Mendelssohn Elijah, Verdi Requiem, and Beethoven Missa Solemnis. Helen holds a Master's in Vocal Performance with Distinction from the Royal Academy of Music where she was awarded a DipRAM for an outstanding final recital. 
John Twitchen
Nemorino - a simple peasant, in love with Adina Active, silly and ardent without sentimentality. Orphan? No parents, family or clear occupation. His character undergoes a radical change throughout the course of the opera: gains courage, pride and even joy. The wine he consumes makes his love more urgent and gives him the courage to stand up to Belcore. Love makes him a fool, but it also makes him invincible. He becomes stronger, manlier and more attractive to Adina. We see him grow up. The unpretentious innocence and rustic character of this role promote physical relaxation. John Twitchen is a first-class Vocal Performance graduate from the Chichester Conservatoire who studied with Ian Kennedy and now studies with Penny Randall-Davis. He was a member of Glyndebourne Youth Opera 3 and was awarded a scholarship to join the Dorset Opera Summer School for three years. He has performed roles with Barefoot Opera, Riverside Opera, Carshalton Opera and Opera South East, and will be performing in Longborough Opera’s production of Götterdämerung in the Summer. As a St Martin in the Fields and St Stephen Walbrook Choral Scholar, John has performed for BBC Radio 2 and BBC Radio 3 as well as performing alongside professional vocal ensembles such as St Martins Voices, I Fagiolini and Gesualdo Six. John is now a scholar with Sloane Square Choral Society and has performed with Esterhazy Singers, North London Chorus and Ensemble OrQuesta. He is working towards a Masters in opera at one of the major London conservatoires. 
Richard Woodall
Dr Dulcamara - an itinerant medicine man Fun and zany, Dr. Dulcamara is a peculiar and eccentric con artist. He is an energetic salesman, but not too slick; he is full of mistakes and false steps. He tells us that he is only in business for the money, but at times almost seems like an aging fairy godfather unwittingly promoting love. Avuncular and good natured, he is a warmhearted guy, easily distracted by a pretty girl or a bowl of spaghetti. Richard was born in Solihull and studied Performance Arts at Middlesex University and singing at the Guildhall School of Music. Richard has sung in many productions with English National Opera, Opera North, the D’Oyly Carte Opera Company, and many other UK companies. Richard’s recent roles include the title role in ‘Gianni Schicchi’, Reb Mordcha in ‘Fiddler on the Roof’ for Grange Park Opera and the BBC Proms with Bryn Terfel, Scarpia in ‘Tosca’, Sir Roderic Murgatroyd in ‘Ruddigore’, and Major General Stanley in ‘The Pirates of Penzance’ for St Albans Chamber Opera, Amonasro in ‘Aida’ for South Downs Opera and Harvey in Ethel Smyth’s ‘The Wreckers’ and Lord Capulet in Gounod’s ‘Romeo and Juliet’ for Arcadian Opera, and he created the role of Roy in ‘The Arsonists’, a new opera commissioned by Heritage Opera and the BBC Philharmonic Orchestra by Alan Williams and Ian MacMillan, which is the first opera written to be sung specifically in a South Yorkshire dialect! Richard has a busy concert schedule, including recitals, oratorios, and cabarets, and is delighted to return to Opera South East following his last appearance here as Banquo in Verdi’s ‘Macbeth’ in 2016. 
Oshri Segev
Belcore - a sergeant Sergeant Belcore swaggers into Adina and Nemorino’s small town brimming with confidence. No sooner does he arrive and spot Adina than he proposes marriage – confident that he has already swept her off her feet. However, at the wedding-feast she keeps postponing the signing of the contract, as she is really in love with Nemorino. Oshri Segev, Baritone Has sung under the batons of Zubin Mehta, Kurt Mazur, Asher Fisch, Roberto Abbado, Daniel Oren, Michele Gamba, Sebastiano Rolli, Giuliano Carella, Patrick Summers and Dan Ettinger. He has sung with all the leading vocal ensembles in Israel including the Israeli Opera and The Israeli Philharmonic Orchestra. His engagements included Sailor in Purcell's Dido and Aeneas, Ramiro in Cenerentola and Count Almaviva in Il Barbiere di Siviglia by Rossini, Nemorino in Donizettii's L'elisir D'amore, Don Giovanni and Don Ottavio in Don Giovanni, Tamino in The Magic Flute, Arbace in Idomeneo, Podesta in La Finta Giardiniera, Conte Almaviva, Don Basilio and Don Curzio in Le Nozze di Figaro by Mozart, Judge and Servant in Un ballo in maschera, a Messenger in Aida, Gastone in La Traviata, Conte di Lerme in Don Carlo, Abdallo in Nabucco, Ruiz in Il Trovatore, Captain in Simon Boccanegra by Verdi, Spoleta in Puccini's Tosca, Schmidt in Massenet's Werther, Older brother in Heggie's Dead Man Walking, Remendado in Bizet's Carmen and Natanael and Spalanzani in Offenbach's The Tales of Hoffmann. Segev sang Ferrando in Mozart's Cosi fan tutte with 'Orquesta Ensemble' in 2019. Segev is a recipient of the 2006-2010 Buchman-Mehta School of music (Tel-Aviv University) scholarship, 2013-2014 America-Israel Cultural fund Scholarship, the 2018 Ronen Foundation Scholarship, the 2018 Buchholtz scholarship on behalf of IVAI and the 2018 Coster-Newman Scholarship (Canada) for the Emerging Artist. 
Eleanor Westbrook
Gianetta - Adina's friend Larger than life, generous and ready to party at a moment’s notice. Full of energy and earthy charm. She seems to pop up everywhere and is always the first to know all the gossip. One surmises that she has a number of boyfriends... Eleanor Westbrook is a performance maker, opera singer and clown. She studied Music & Drama at Manchester University, Devising at LISPA in Berlin (Arthaus.Berlin), and has a Postgraduate Diploma in Voice from Trinity Laban Conservatoire. She has worked with the Living Theatre (NYC), Kneehigh Theatre, Belarus Free Theatre and Waste Paper Opera Company. She makes her own solo performance art, developed a series exploring motherhood (including a pregnant belly, labour audio, milk and Handel), and puts on performance events in Hastings and St Leonards. |
Notes for EditorsOn our second fully-staged production under the artistic direction of Eleanor Strutt, this year marks OSE's thirty sixth birthday and, under our earlier name of Hastings Opera, our forty fourth birthday and this will be our 67th fully-staged operatic production.
With eternal thanks to Kenneth Roberts for the first 66 opera productions. Now Marcio da Silva will take the baton with the Sussex Concert Orchestra in the pit for this wonderful feast of music and drama. Opera South East is also delighted to welcome Helen May to the cast for this production, who plays the role of Adina, with John Twitchen as the hapless Nemorino, with Richard Woodall as Dr Dulcamara, Oshri Segev as Belcore and Eleanor Westbrook as Adina's friend, Gianetta. Accompanying the cast in this production will be members of the Sussex Concert Orchestra, who continue their long association with Opera South East. ChorusChorus of Townsfolk, Local Dignitaries of Hastings, and children
Townspeople: All part of a network of family and friends. Everyone knows everybody else’s business, and marriageability and self-esteem are based on their social position. They interact with the principals, and observe and enlarge the action. Sopranos: Sue Beaney, Julia Bristow-Diamond, Kate Collyer, Susan Cowling, Danielle Gagnon, Pat Horwill, Anna Orlova, Christine Roberton, Sarah Taylor Altos: Judith Bevan, Bea Dixon, Tina Goddard, Mary Hughes, Maureen James, Ruth Menzinger, Liz Webb Tenors: Gerald Hewson, Brian Knight, Bruno Vincent Basses: Hugh Bryant, James Caspian, John Rycroft, David Thompson The Young Ones: Alfie, Bethany, Fern, Harry, Melody, Molly The Sussex Concert OrchestraConducted by Kenneth Roberts: -
Violin 1
OSE - The CompanyDirector - Eleanor Strutt
Conductor - Marcio da Silva Stage Manager for OSE - Sasha Balmazi-Owen Stage Manager for White Rock Theatre - Adam Harkin Assistant Stage Manager - Nik Roberts Set Construction/Design - Sasha Balmazi-Owen Lighting Design - Eleanor Strutt Lighting Technician - Clifton Hollister Properties - supervised by Sasha Balmazi-Owen Wardrobe - under the direction of Sasha Balmazi-Owen Assisted by - Ann Lyon and Pat Horwill Make up and hair - Under supervision of Celina Zomer Programme - John Rycroft Artwork - Julia Bovee Website - Greg Solomon Programme design and printed by - Simon Page 2023 rehearsals of Carmen
2023 Carmen Dancing Girls, courtesy Peter Mould
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Synopsis
The synopsis of an opera is always worth reading before an opera performance, so do buy a programme on the night and get there in time to read it.
Act 1
Nemorino, a poor peasant, is in love with Adina, a beautiful landowner, who torments him with her indifference. When Nemorino hears Adina reading to her workers the story of Tristan and Isolde, he is convinced that a magic potion will help him to gain Adina's love. The self-important Sergeant Belcore appears with his regiment and immediately sets about courting Adina in front of everyone. Nemorino becomes anxious (although Adina meanwhile secretly derides Belcore's complacency) and, alone with Adina, reveals his love for her. Adina rebuffs him, saying that she wants a different lover every day and that Nemorino would do well to follow her example. Nemorino declares that his feelings will never change. The traveling quack doctor, Dulcamara (the self-proclaimed Dr. Encyclopedia), arrives, selling his bottled cure-all to the townspeople. Nemorino innocently asks Dulcamara if he has any of Isolde's love potion. Despite failing to recognize the name "Isolde", Dulcamara's commercial talents nevertheless enable him to sell a bottle of the "elixir" – in reality only cheap red wine – to Nemorino, who pays for it with all the cash at his disposal.
To make a safe escape, Dulcamara tells Nemorino the potion needs 24 hours to take effect – by which time, the doctor will be long gone. Nemorino drinks the potion in haste in order to watch the effect the following day. Emboldened by the "elixir" (in fact, drunk), Nemorino feigns indifference when he encounters Adina, as he expects that the elixir will facilitate his conquest of Adina the next day. She becomes increasingly annoyed; perhaps she has feelings for Nemorino after all? Belcore returns and proposes marriage to Adina. Still riled by Nemorino and wishing to give him a lesson, Adina falsely promises to marry Belcore in six days' time. Yet, Nemorino only laughs in response: such confidence is sustained in the belief in the magic potion. However, when Belcore learns that his regiment must leave the next morning, Adina promises to marry him before his departure. This panics Nemorino, who cries out for Dr. Dulcamara to come to his aid. Adina, meanwhile, invites everyone to the wedding.
Nemorino, a poor peasant, is in love with Adina, a beautiful landowner, who torments him with her indifference. When Nemorino hears Adina reading to her workers the story of Tristan and Isolde, he is convinced that a magic potion will help him to gain Adina's love. The self-important Sergeant Belcore appears with his regiment and immediately sets about courting Adina in front of everyone. Nemorino becomes anxious (although Adina meanwhile secretly derides Belcore's complacency) and, alone with Adina, reveals his love for her. Adina rebuffs him, saying that she wants a different lover every day and that Nemorino would do well to follow her example. Nemorino declares that his feelings will never change. The traveling quack doctor, Dulcamara (the self-proclaimed Dr. Encyclopedia), arrives, selling his bottled cure-all to the townspeople. Nemorino innocently asks Dulcamara if he has any of Isolde's love potion. Despite failing to recognize the name "Isolde", Dulcamara's commercial talents nevertheless enable him to sell a bottle of the "elixir" – in reality only cheap red wine – to Nemorino, who pays for it with all the cash at his disposal.
To make a safe escape, Dulcamara tells Nemorino the potion needs 24 hours to take effect – by which time, the doctor will be long gone. Nemorino drinks the potion in haste in order to watch the effect the following day. Emboldened by the "elixir" (in fact, drunk), Nemorino feigns indifference when he encounters Adina, as he expects that the elixir will facilitate his conquest of Adina the next day. She becomes increasingly annoyed; perhaps she has feelings for Nemorino after all? Belcore returns and proposes marriage to Adina. Still riled by Nemorino and wishing to give him a lesson, Adina falsely promises to marry Belcore in six days' time. Yet, Nemorino only laughs in response: such confidence is sustained in the belief in the magic potion. However, when Belcore learns that his regiment must leave the next morning, Adina promises to marry him before his departure. This panics Nemorino, who cries out for Dr. Dulcamara to come to his aid. Adina, meanwhile, invites everyone to the wedding.
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Interval of 20 minutes
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Act 2
Adina and Belcore's wedding party is in full swing. Dr. Dulcamara encourages Adina to sing a duet with him to entertain the guests. The notary arrives to make the marriage official. Adina is annoyed to see that Nemorino has not appeared, for the whole deal has been intended only to punish him. While everyone goes to witness the signing of the wedding contract, Dulcamara stays behind, helping himself to food and drink. Having seen the notary, Nemorino appears, depressed, as he believes that he has lost Adina. He sees Dulcamara and frantically begs him for a more powerful, faster-acting elixir. Although Dulcamara is proud to boast of his philanthropy, upon discovering that Nemorino now has no money he changes his tune and marches off, refusing to supply him anything. Belcore emerges, musing about why Adina has suddenly put off the wedding and signing of the contract. He spots Nemorino and asks his rival why he is depressed. When Nemorino says he needs cash, Belcore suggests joining the army, as he'll receive funds on the spot. Belcore tries to excite Nemorino with tales of military life, while Nemorino only thinks of getting the potion and thus winning Adina, if only for a day before departure. Belcore produces a contract, which Nemorino signs in return for the money. Nemorino privately vows to rush and buy more potion, while Belcore muses about how sending Nemorino off to war has so easily dispatched his rival.
After the two men have left, Giannetta gossips with the women of the village. Swearing them all to secrecy, she reveals that Nemorino's uncle has just died and left his nephew a large fortune. However, neither Nemorino nor Adina is yet aware of this. Nemorino enters, having spent his military signing bonus on – and consumed – a large amount of the fake elixir from Dr. Dulcamara. Hoping to share his fortune, the women approach Nemorino with overly friendly greetings. So out of character is this that Nemorino takes it as proof of the elixir's efficacy. Adina sees Nemorino with the women, is rattled by his newfound popularity, and asks Dr. Dulcamara for an explanation. Unaware that Adina is the object of Nemorino's affection, Dulcamara explains that Nemorino spent his last penny on the elixir and joined the army for money to get more, so desperate was he to win the love of some unnamed cruel beauty. Adina immediately recognises Nemorino's sincerity, regrets her behaviour and realises that she has loved Nemorino all along. Although Dulcamara seizes the opportunity to try to sell her some of his potion to win back Nemorino, Adina declares that she has full confidence in her own powers of attraction.
Nemorino appears alone, pensive, reflecting on a tear he saw in Adina's eye when he was ignoring her earlier. Solely based on that, he convinces himself that Adina loves him. She enters and asks why he has chosen to join the army and leave the village. When Nemorino explains that he was seeking a better life, Adina responds that he is loved and that she has purchased back his military contract from Sergeant Belcore. She offers the cancelled contract to Nemorino and reassures him that, if he stays, he will be happy. As he takes the contract, Adina turns to leave. Nemorino believes she is abandoning him and flies into a desperate fit, vowing that if he is not loved he might as well go off and die a soldier. Deeply moved by his fidelity, Adina finally declares that she will love Nemorino forever. Nemorino is ecstatic. Adina begs him to forgive her, which he does with a kiss. Belcore returns to see Nemorino and Adina in an embrace. When Adina explains that she loves Nemorino, the Sergeant takes the news in stride, noting that there are plenty of other women in the world.
Adina and Nemorino learn about the inheritance from his uncle. Dulcamara returns and boasts of the success of his elixir: Nemorino is now not only loved but also rich. Dulcamara exults in the boost this will bring to the sales of his product. As Dulcamara prepares to leave, everyone queues up to buy the elixir and to hail Dulcamara as a great physician.
Adina and Belcore's wedding party is in full swing. Dr. Dulcamara encourages Adina to sing a duet with him to entertain the guests. The notary arrives to make the marriage official. Adina is annoyed to see that Nemorino has not appeared, for the whole deal has been intended only to punish him. While everyone goes to witness the signing of the wedding contract, Dulcamara stays behind, helping himself to food and drink. Having seen the notary, Nemorino appears, depressed, as he believes that he has lost Adina. He sees Dulcamara and frantically begs him for a more powerful, faster-acting elixir. Although Dulcamara is proud to boast of his philanthropy, upon discovering that Nemorino now has no money he changes his tune and marches off, refusing to supply him anything. Belcore emerges, musing about why Adina has suddenly put off the wedding and signing of the contract. He spots Nemorino and asks his rival why he is depressed. When Nemorino says he needs cash, Belcore suggests joining the army, as he'll receive funds on the spot. Belcore tries to excite Nemorino with tales of military life, while Nemorino only thinks of getting the potion and thus winning Adina, if only for a day before departure. Belcore produces a contract, which Nemorino signs in return for the money. Nemorino privately vows to rush and buy more potion, while Belcore muses about how sending Nemorino off to war has so easily dispatched his rival.
After the two men have left, Giannetta gossips with the women of the village. Swearing them all to secrecy, she reveals that Nemorino's uncle has just died and left his nephew a large fortune. However, neither Nemorino nor Adina is yet aware of this. Nemorino enters, having spent his military signing bonus on – and consumed – a large amount of the fake elixir from Dr. Dulcamara. Hoping to share his fortune, the women approach Nemorino with overly friendly greetings. So out of character is this that Nemorino takes it as proof of the elixir's efficacy. Adina sees Nemorino with the women, is rattled by his newfound popularity, and asks Dr. Dulcamara for an explanation. Unaware that Adina is the object of Nemorino's affection, Dulcamara explains that Nemorino spent his last penny on the elixir and joined the army for money to get more, so desperate was he to win the love of some unnamed cruel beauty. Adina immediately recognises Nemorino's sincerity, regrets her behaviour and realises that she has loved Nemorino all along. Although Dulcamara seizes the opportunity to try to sell her some of his potion to win back Nemorino, Adina declares that she has full confidence in her own powers of attraction.
Nemorino appears alone, pensive, reflecting on a tear he saw in Adina's eye when he was ignoring her earlier. Solely based on that, he convinces himself that Adina loves him. She enters and asks why he has chosen to join the army and leave the village. When Nemorino explains that he was seeking a better life, Adina responds that he is loved and that she has purchased back his military contract from Sergeant Belcore. She offers the cancelled contract to Nemorino and reassures him that, if he stays, he will be happy. As he takes the contract, Adina turns to leave. Nemorino believes she is abandoning him and flies into a desperate fit, vowing that if he is not loved he might as well go off and die a soldier. Deeply moved by his fidelity, Adina finally declares that she will love Nemorino forever. Nemorino is ecstatic. Adina begs him to forgive her, which he does with a kiss. Belcore returns to see Nemorino and Adina in an embrace. When Adina explains that she loves Nemorino, the Sergeant takes the news in stride, noting that there are plenty of other women in the world.
Adina and Nemorino learn about the inheritance from his uncle. Dulcamara returns and boasts of the success of his elixir: Nemorino is now not only loved but also rich. Dulcamara exults in the boost this will bring to the sales of his product. As Dulcamara prepares to leave, everyone queues up to buy the elixir and to hail Dulcamara as a great physician.
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Noted arias
Act 1
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Act 2
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The Sussex Concert Orchestra
Special thanksSpecial Thanks and acknowledgements to:
Mikado rehearsals at the White Rock Theatre, 6 April 2022. Filled to the brim with girlish glee - Three little maids from school. Photos courtesy of Mark Duncan.
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Audience Comments from past operasAudience reaction of OSE's production of Verdi's Macbeth (April 2016) :-
Make a weekend of it in Hastings?There's lots of hotel choice in the area, e.g.
The Mikado: True love triumphs for Yum Yum and Nanki Poo
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