The Elixir of Love Opens Feb. 17 as Second 2022-2023 HOT Season Opera

Summary: The Elixir of Love opens Feb. 17 as the second 2022-2023 HOT season opera in a lineup starting with The Secret Garden and ending with Gianni Schicchi.

Hawai'i Opera Theatre modernizes Donizetti's L'Elisir d'Amore setting in late 18th century Spain's Southern Basque Country with a reimagined setting on a rum distillery plantation in Hawaii: Hawaii Opera Theatre, via Facebook July 19, 2022

Donizetti's The Elixir of Love opens Feb. 17 as the second 2022-2023 HOT season opera, following Hawai'i Opera Theatre's autumn opener, The Secret Garden, and followed by the season's spring closer, Gianni Schicchi.

The hilariously love-convoluted opera receives two performances in Hawai'i Opera Theatre's 2022-2023 season. The Elixir of Love opens Friday, Feb. 17, at 7:30 p.m. and closes with a Sunday matinee, Feb. 19, at 4:00 p.m. Both performances are held at the opera company's performance venue, the Neal S. Blaisdell Concert Hall, near O'ahu's southern shore in downtown Honolulu.

The Elixir of Love is performed in English, with English supertitles displayed for the audience. The performance lasts for approximately 2 hours 20 minutes, with one intermission.

The 2022-2023 season's performances of The Elixir of Love number as the second season of the opera's staging by Hawai'i Opera Theatre (HOT). Forty-six years separate The Elixir of Love's HOT debut and its reactivation in the 2022-2023 HOT season.

The comically melodramatic opera's first HOT staging occurred as the first of three operas in the 1975-1976 season. The Elixir of Love received three performances (Friday, Jan. 30; Sunday, Feb. 1; Tuesday, Feb. 3). The second opera, La Fanciulla del West by Italian opera composer Giacomo Puccini (Dec. 22, 1858-Nov. 29, 1924), was performed as the first of the season's two winter operas (Friday, Jan. 16; Sunday, Jan. 18; Tuesday, Jan. 20). La Traviata by Italian opera composer Giuseppe Verdi (Oct. 10, 1813-Jan. 27, 1901) closed the 1976 season, with mid-February performances Friday, Feb. 13; Sunday, 15; Tuesday, Feb. 17).

The Elixir of Love is an English-language adaptation of L’Elisir d’Amore by Italian composer Domenico Gaetano Maria Donizetti (Nov. 29, 1797-April 8, 1848). Italian librettist and poet Felice Romani (Jan. 31, 1788-Jan. 28, 1865) wrote the opera's Italian-language libretto. L'Elisir d'Amore premiered Saturday, May 12, 1832, at Teatro della Canobbiana in Milan, Lombardy region, north central Italy.

Donizetti's L'Elisir d'Amore was set in the Spain's Southern Basque Country in the late-18th century. Hawai'i Opera Theatre customizes the opera with a reimagined setting in "present-day Hawai’i in a quaint town outside a rum distillery," according to Hawai'i Opera Theatre's profile page for The Elixir of Love.

American conductor and pianist Benjamin Makino conducts both of the 2022-2023 HOT season's performances of The Elixir of Love. He most recently conducted the 2021-2022 HOT season's three performances (Friday, April 8; Sunday, April 10; Tuesday, April 12) of Puccini's Madame Butterfly (Madama Butterfly).

Stage director, librettist, fight choreographer and stunt artist Maria Todaro directs the 2022-2023 HOT season's second opera. Her directorship marks her HOT opera debut.

The appearances of the production's four principal singers mark their HOT debuts. Canadian operatic soprano Natalie Image sings Adina, a wealthy landowner for whom love overcomes her prideful disdain. American tenor Andrew Stenson portrays Nemorino, a poor peasant who wins Adina's love before he learns of his inherited wealth from his recently deceased uncle. Mexican-American baritone Efraín Solís appears as Dulcamara, an itinerant medicine man whose quack product of cheap wine packaged as love potions emboldens Nemorino and brings ensuing respect and success to the quack. Brazilian baritone Igor Vieira impersonates Belcore, Adina's suitor, who accepts rejection with the good-natured outlook of a plethora of other women, such as Adina's friend Giannetta, as marriage candidates.

American coloratura soprano, University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa voice lecturer, Brigham Young University-Hawaii (BYUH) adjunct faculty and therapeutic voice researcher Martina Bingham performs as Giannetta, Adina's friend, who interests irrepressibly hopeful Belcore. She had made her HOT debut as Barbarina in the 2019-2020 HOT season's three performances (Friday, Feb. 14; Sunday, Feb. 16; Tuesday, Feb. 18) of The Marriage of Figaro by Classical Era composer Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (Jan. 27, 1756-Dec. 5, 1791).

The 2022-2023 HOT season's third opera, Puccini's Gianni Schicchi, opens two months after The Elixir of Love. Gianni Schicchi's two performances (Friday, April 28; Sunday, April 30) close Hawai'i Opera Theatre's 2022-2023 season.

Inspiration for Hawai'i Opera Theatre's Hawaiian reset of Donizetti's The Elixir of Love comes from Hawai'i's Plantation Village; the living history museum and botanical gardens includes the red-accented Chinese Society Building (Tsoong Nyee Tongg), reconstructed on site of original 1906 building according to identical Society Building built at same time in Kula, west central Maui, according to historic preservation architect Anne Spencer Leineweber (March 18, 1947-June 20, 2015) in "Havai'i's Plantation Village" (1993; page 121): Hawaii Opera Theatre, via Facebook Aug. 3, 2022

Acknowledgment

My special thanks to talented artists and photographers/concerned organizations who make their fine images available on the internet.

Image credits:

Hawai'i Opera Theatre modernizes Donizetti's L'Elisir d'Amore setting in late 18th century Spain's Southern Basque Country with a reimagined setting on a rum distillery plantation in Hawaii: Hawaii Opera Theatre, via Facebook July 19, 2022, @ https://www.facebook.com/HawaiiOpera/posts/pfbid024t6oC1mWtXDTth8Hc3VGCNqgHQ1yxLhF57Jp6T74mae5ooFxRRhngF21MK7ZtkpQl

Inspiration for Hawai'i Opera Theatre's Hawaiian reset of Donizetti's The Elixir of Love comes from Hawai'i's Plantation Village; the living history museum and botanical gardens includes the red-accented Chinese Society Building (Tsoong Nyee Tongg), reconstructed on site of original 1906 building according to identical Society Building built at same time in Kula, west central Maui, according to historic preservation architect Anne Spencer Leineweber (March 18, 1947-June 20, 2015) in "Havai'i's Plantation Village" (1993; page 121): Hawaii Opera Theatre, via Facebook Aug. 3, 2022, @ https://www.facebook.com/HawaiiOpera/posts/pfbid0wa39m48e2WzEAt8S7E4G798ghEViULNTUQSM8SjyWpcjFQU7zhMDKA1G4kw6JKQFl

For further information:

Hawaii Opera Theatre. "Hawaii Opera Theatre is at Hawaii's Plantation Village. Waipahu, HI. Elixir of Love, our season's second show, takes place in a quaint town outside a rum distillery. We’re here at Waipahu Cultural Garden Park, soaking up inspiration with the design team! #sugar #rum #history #seasonplanning #inspiration #design #luckywelivehawaii #Aloha #hawaii #setdesign #costumedesign." Facebook. Aug. 3, 2022.
Available @ https://www.facebook.com/HawaiiOpera/posts/pfbid0wa39m48e2WzEAt8S7E4G798ghEViULNTUQSM8SjyWpcjFQU7zhMDKA1G4kw6JKQFl

Hawaii Opera Theatre. "Next in the season, we have Donizetti’s charming comedy, Elixir of Love. This light-hearted opera is set in a quaint town just outside a Rum Distillery in present-day Hawai'i. Discover how hearts are won in this fantastic ensemble cast just in time for Valentine’s Day! Stay tuned to discover the final show of the season! With tickets starting as low as $30, we invite you to experience opera with aloha this season! ⁠#OperaSeason #ExpericneOpera #SubscribeAndSave #TheSecretGarden #ElixerOfLove #OperaIsForEveryone #Honolulu #HonoluluEvents #Music #Song #LocalTalent #Blaisdell #Opera #SecondShowOfTheSeason #Hawaii #SugarCane #Aloha." Facebook. July 19, 2022.
Available @ https://www.facebook.com/HawaiiOpera/posts/pfbid024t6oC1mWtXDTth8Hc3VGCNqgHQ1yxLhF57Jp6T74mae5ooFxRRhngF21MK7ZtkpQl

Hawaii Opera Theatre. "Our 2022/2023 season features three productions that all celebrate light and life! We're excited to announce the first production this season, The Secret Garden. One of the most beloved children's stories blossoms on stage this October with The Secret Garden, an enchanting opera that the whole family will love! This inspiring story -- in a new production featuring a tropical flair -- shows how lives can be transformed when our imagination is unlocked. ⁠Stay tuned to discover which show is next! With tickets starting as low as $30, we invite you to experience opera with aloha this season! ⁠#OperaSeason #ExpericneOpera #SubscribeAndSave #TheSecretGarden #OperaIsForEveryone #Honolulu #HonoluluEvents #Music #Song #LocalTalent #Blaisdell #Opera #Sing #FirstShowOfTheSeason #WhatsNext." Facebook. July 18, 2022.
Available @ https://www.facebook.com/HawaiiOpera/posts/pfbid02ywXnNXAXje4LeWhyC258fhx9drwLJY2phpF2Fr5wsQsj4zUngwTmjJztYDaTkzMzl

Hawaii Opera Theatre. "We are gearing up for another exciting season, and we have lots of preparation ahead of us! Follow along to see how an opera goes from the planning stages to the execution. #opera #inspiration #operaseason #planning #setdesign #costumedesign #tours #honolulu #hawaiilife #liveperformance #LuckyWeLiveHawaii #operaforeveryone #hawaii." Facebook. Aug. 9, 2022.
Available @ https://www.facebook.com/HawaiiOpera/videos/we-are-gearing-up-for-another-exciting-season-and-we-have-lots-of-preparation-ah/421486889782414/

Hawai'i Opera Theatre. "1976: The Elixir of Love January 30; February 1, 3." Hawai'i Opera Theatre > Shows > Past Productions.
Available @ https://www.hawaiiopera.org/shows/past-productions/

Hawai'i Opera Theatre. "3 Productions You Don't Want to Miss: Introducing Our 2022-2023 Season." Hawai'i Opera Theatre > What's New.
Available @ https://www.hawaiiopera.org/3-productions-you-dont-want-to-miss-introducing-our-2022-2023-season/

Hawai'i Opera Theatre. "2023 HOT Opera Season." Hawai'i Opera Theatre > 2023 HOT Opera Season.
Available @ https://www.hawaiiopera.org/2023-hot-opera-season/

Hawai'i Opera Theatre. "The Elixir of Love: Learn More." Hawai'i Opera Theatre > 2023 HOT Opera Season.
Available @ https://www.hawaiiopera.org/2023-hot-opera-season/the-elixir-of-love-live-at-the-blaisdell/

"Hawai'i Opera Theatre. "Martina Bingham* *HOT Debut." Hawai'i Opera Theatre > Past Productions > 2019-2020 > The Marriage of Figaro.
Available @ https://www.hawaiiopera.org/the-marriage-of-figaro/

Leineweber, Spencer. "Havai'i's Plantation Village." Pages 120-125. In: Pawuludevage Leelananda Prematilleke, ed. Cultural Tourism: International Scientific Symposium, 10th General Assembly, Sri Lanka. Charenton-le-Pont, France: ICOMOS, 1993. ICOMOS International Council on Monuments and Sites > Resources > Publications.
Available @ https://www.icomos.org/publications/93sy_tou14.pdf

Marriner, Derdriu. "Hawai'i Opera Theatre Has Three Operas in Joy-Themed 2022-2023 Season." Earth and Space News. Monday, Oct. 3, 2022.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2022/10/hawaii-opera-theatre-has-three-operas.html

Marriner, Derdriu. "Quinn Kelsey Has Tallied Nine Met Roles, Seven Operas, 90 Performances." Earth and Space News. Monday, Sep. 26, 2022.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2022/09/quinn-kelsey-has-tallied-nine-met-roles.html

Marriner, Derdriu. "Quinn Kelsey Sings Amonasro, Marcello, Rigoletto at Met in 2022-2023." Earth and Space News. Monday, Sep. 19, 2022.
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Marriner, Derdriu. "The Secret Garden Opens 2022-2023 Hawai'i Opera Theatre Season Oct. 14." Earth and Space News. Monday, Oct. 17, 2022.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2022/10/the-secret-garden-opens-2022-2023.html

MN Opera. "Maria Todaro." MN Opera > Biography.
Available @ https://mnopera.org/biography/maria-todaro/

Prematilleke, Pawuludevage Leelananda, ed. Cultural Tourism: International Scientific Symposium, 10th General Assembly, Sri Lanka. Charenton-le-Pont, France: ICOMOS, 1993.
Available via ICOMOS (Conseil International des Monuments et des Sites International Council on Monuments and Sites) @ https://www.icomos.org/fr/ressources/publications/librairie-de-l-icomos/116-english-categories/resources/publications/290-ics-cultural-tourism-1993

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