L’elisir D’amore
CONDUCTOR: Arjan Tien
CAST: Bronwen Forbay,Thabiso Masemene,Kagiso Boroko,Luthando Qave,Thato Machona,Solly Motaung,Caroline Nkwe
VENUE: The Mandela, Joburg Theatre
UNTIL: 02, 04, 06, 07 August 2026
RUNNING TIME: Approximately 2 hrs 39 mins
Paul Boekkooi
Donizetti’s opera about the love potion that created havoc in the small Italian farmer’s community only functions on all cylinders when done with a sparkling feeling for detail in the musical thrust and cutting edge comic timing. Gauteng Opera’s L’elisir d’amore achieves just that. Also crucial for this success is the fact that this company has youth on its side. Seeing that Gauteng Opera in its core is a facilitator of the development of young promising singers who want to make opera their career choice, it is clear that this role will become more prominent in the years to come, keeping in mind that they receive the necessary subsidies, funding and other corporate support to keep this company sustainable.
For this season of four performances we see an almost perfect cast while the comprehensive input of the conductor Arjan Tien, director Marcus Desando and designers Wilhelm Disbergen (set and lighting) and Christiaan Harris (costumes) contributed to the positive overall impression within an art form with an extremely complex compilation.
Central to the story is “Adina”, a wealthy landowner (shop-owner in this production). The soprano Bronwen Forbay consists of the vocal sharpness, suppleness and technical comfort around the coloratura requirements. All of this contributes that she is the ideal “Adina”. As an actress, she managed to include the audience into every characterisation of “Adina”, such as the sparkling, coquettish personality which sums up the essence of the story.
Another key role is that of tenor Thabiso Masemene, portraying “Nemorino”, a simple farm boy (shop hand in the production) who in the course of the opera must fight to become a man. Masemene very clearly portrayed the wounded innocence of the character through his singing and acting. His approach to the opera’s most well-known aria: “Una furtive lagrima” was lyrically and richly expressed, while adding a few alternative ornamentations and variation to the vocal line.
As “Dulcamara” - a quack-doctor of note, Thato Machona was at his best. He had everything around him, especially Dulcamara’s hypocrisy, executed in fine detail and perfect timing while vocally embodied the strings of consonants virtuously, which form part and is the essence of this role. His comic timing is incomparable.
Luthando Qave compliments the quartet of soloists with a vocal resonance and dramatic conviction as “Sargent Belcore” while Caroline Nkwe’s “Giannetta” was ideal in voice and portrayal and idiomatic rich.
Tien really disciplined the orchestra consisting for freelance musicians. Eventually he inspired them to a point that the specific Donizetti-requirements such as the darting rhythms that he specifically require, came to light. His support to the singers and especially the chorus, was contagious.
It is clear that Desando has a way with comic direction and L’elisir proved it. It is continuously like sparkling wine escaping its cork.
Today and Saturday at 20:00 and Sunday at 15:00