October 21, 2001: L'Elisir d'Amore in Nordfjordeid

2001-10-21 L'Elisir d'Amore (Donizetti), Opera Nordfjord

Nemorino = Nils Harald Sødahl
Adina = Cecilia Lindwall
Dulcamara = Anders Vangen
Belcore = Espen Langvik
Giannetta = Synnøve Nordvik

Michael Pavelich, conductor



I was at the last performance!
First time in Nordfjordeid, I stayed at the Hotel Nordfjord, where they had opera buffé. I came late the evening before, and I choose to have my dinner (opera buffé) since I was hungry, I had to wait until the guests came from their overa experience. Absolutely fabulous!

Because of the timetables in Sogn og Fjordane, it was not possible for me to come in time for Saturday's performance, and that was completely sold out by the time I remembered Opera Nordfjord, but I was in time to get some of the few tickets that was left on Friday. Thursday I had suddenly seen a page on the net about this opera, I thought about it, found out I had time, last performance Sunday, came home after work, and phoned the hotel to find out about the opera-package, was it available, did they have room. They had only 2 rooms, so I booked it right-away, didn't ask for the prize. And in my lunch-pause at work, I went to the post office to get ticket. Got it! Saturday, bus ride to Nordfjord. Found my hotel, I was rainy and cold in the evening. Nice atmosphere, many pictures from opera performances on the wall. NICE!!

Sunday, started with breakfast (obvious I woke up first, got dressed....). I have two pictures from my last opera travel, one picture of Carreras and one of Bavaj in Stavanger 22.9.2001, so I had to finish my film. My new location was Nordfjordeid, some great photos, some Ok and some relatively bad photos from my walk in the center of Nordfjordeid.

Then came the time, 1400, I took a taxi from the hotel 1330. And it was really crowded in Fjordane folkehøgskule. CROWDED. I met my college from work and her husband. Many people from Western Norway, many from Bergen, or so it seemed. Luckily I got a better seat than I had bought with the help of the nicest person in the hotel, or most opera mad. (Somebody had chosen to stay home?!). They sang Donizetti's music in Norwegian, luckily I know the Italian text well from the CD-libretto. "Venti scudi" became "fire tusen" (4000 NOK). A well known revue/cabaret artist from Norway had done the Norwegian text, it was a nice job. But, however, it will always be hard to hear the words when the top notes are sung, so knowing the original well was an advantage. Professional singers and orchestra, an amateur chorus. I liked the production. I liked the conducting, very vibrant. The tenor was best and the baritones were very good too. Maybe the aula was not given the right acoustic to the sopranos. The Swedish Adina sang well, and was very good in Norwegian. Only when I talked to her after the performance, was it obvious that she was from Sweden. The Norwegian Giannetta seemed vocally weak and she need to stand out from the other voices.

Back to the hotel, I found out that orchestra and soloists all lived in my hotel. Just before I went to take the bus home, I got the chance to talk to Cecilia Lindwall and get her autograph.

I think I will make this an annual tour.

OD Travel

September 29, 1988: L'Elisir d'Amore, Oslo

1988-09-29 L'Elisir d'Amore (Donizetti), Den Norske Opera (Oslo)

Adina = Ingjerd Oda Mantor
Nemorino = Kjell Magnus Sandve
Belcore = Terje Stensvold
Dulcamara = Svein Carlsen
Gianetta = Inger-Lise Walseth

Antonio Pappano, conductor



It was a very enjoyable evening with Kjell Magnus Sandve as Nemorino, and Ingjerd Oda Mantor as Adina. Wonderful!

OD Travel

May 21, 1998: L'Elisir d'Amore in Zurich

1998-05-21 L'Elisir d'Amore (Donizetti), Opernhaus Zürich

Adina = Isabel Rey
Nemorino = Vincenzo La Scola
Belcore = Angelo Veccia
Dulcamara = Carlos Chausson
Giannetta = Martina Jankova

Nello Santi, conductor



Inszenierung GRISCHA ASAGAROFF
Ausstattung TULLlO PERICOLl
Mitarbeiler des Ausstatters MAROUAN DIB
Lichtgestaltung JÜRGEN HOFFMANN
Chor JÜRG HÄMMERLl


0 Mitglied des Internationalcn Opcrnstndios,
unterstützed von der Herbert von Karajan Music Legacy
CHOR DES OPERNHAUSES ZÜRICH
STATISTENVEREIN AM OlPERNI'IAUS
ORCHESTER DER OPER ZÜRICH
Musikalische Einstudierung
und Biihnenmusil,THOMAS B1ARTHEL
ftbendspielleitungGUDRUN HARTMANN
Organisation und
Beb'euung der Kincler SUSY SIEGRIST
Inspizient RUDOLF BUDAV ÁRY
Souffieuse TATJANA KUKAWKA
Iuitische Ausgabe herausgegeben vou
Alberto Zedda, G. Ricordi & C., lVMailand
Donnerstag, 21. Mai 1998 Wiederaufnahme, Kombi-Abo
Pause nach dem 1. Akt
Beginn:20.00 Uhr
Ende: ca. 22.45 Uhr


Should have started at 20.00. The technicians were working hard, the ballet earlier that day, had lasted too long, the management said they were sorry. But they couldn't have known it was like that. So we waited about half an hour. But since we knew the explanation it was all right.

169 SF for a good place in the opera Reihe 2 Platz 7. Fantastic!!!

Vincenzo La Scola is as good as Carreras would have been as Nemorino. (Carreras is better naturally). So natural.

Isabel Rey is great. Actress/singer as were La Scola

All great.

Vincenzo La Scola: is as good as I am sure Carreras would have been if he sang Nemorino. It would have been so interesting to see Carreras in this role, because he would have been supreme. La Scola was also a natural kind of Nemorino. Not Stupid as many portray him, he just haven't learnt to write. "Tu sei buona, modesto sei" You are good, and modest,as Adina says. He has qualities in him, Pavarotti makes him a village fool. And in this version, unlike the Alagna, there no modernization of the arias ( Or should I say Oldifization).

Isabel Rey, is this not-so-modest woman. Wealthy and flirty farm-keeper (quoted from : http://www.operaed.org/guides/elisir/index.htm)

She comes at stage and all the other show her their respect. She Takes this in the most natural way, she is friendly to all,and there is just a invisible barrier between her and the others. It is all very natural. The Chorus is overdoing a little, but maybe it's just my seat near the scene that makes it seem so.

Her aria is very natural, sitting there telling them about Tristan and Isolde. Then the duet, such beautiful singing, and acting as it is all happening here and now.

Belcore comes, he is so sure of him self, and vulgar.

Dulcamara comes, and his aides are helping him.

Aria between Nemorino and Dulcamara. The acting and the singing is superb at all stages.

Caro elisir, sei mio -You should have been there. Think about the Philips cd-set with Carreras, and fill it with you own pictures of how you think, it would be on stage, and you might be right. Nothing stupid in this scene either

Adina comes in, and their duet, Incroyable!!

Crowd scene: Adina accepts to marry belcore. "Adina,credimi" Vincenzo La Scola is amazing, Isabel Rey showing Adina's feeling, the stupid, angry Belcore!!

OD Travel

May 15, 1999: L'Elisir d'Amore in Vienna

1999-05-15 L'Elisir d'amore (G.Donizetti), Wiener Staatsoper

Adina = Ana Maria Martinez
Nemorino = Ramon Vargas
Belcore = Manuel Lanza
Dulcamara = Alfonso Antoniozzi
Giannetta = Uta Schwabe

Anton Guadagno, conductor

Samstag, 15. Mai 1999 STAATSOPER
126. Aufführung in dieser Inszenierung
L 'Elisir d'Amore
Komische Oper in zwei Akten
vonFelice Romani
MusikGaetano Donizetti

Dirigent Anton Guadagno
Nach einer Inszenierung vonOtto Schenk
Bühnenbild und Kostüme
nach Entwürfen
für die Aufführung im
Theater an der Wien 1973 von Jürgen Rose
Chorleitung Ernst Dunshirn


Ein Trompeter Konrad Monsberger
Diener des Dulcamara Michael Burggasser
Landleute und Soldaten
Bühnenorchester der Österreichischen Bundestheater

Why not see one of the most popular operas? It is exciting to see familiar operas, maybe just for enjoyment, for making a comparison against what your mind told you this opera should be or other productions of the same opera. Opera critics: the opera as a whole or just the top notes, never mind the rest. I detest top notes when it is just put there no connection to the drama. When the top notes gives the dramatic key to the opera, telling the truth there and them, then I embrace it.

I remember the cries: "Bravo, Ramon!!" And he was worth those cries. Ana Maria Martinez, she not as great as Isabel Rey was in Opernhaus Zurich. But the production was splendid. Loved the scenography. Ramon Vargas was a sympathetic Nemorino. I remember the chorus. The individuality of the chorus. Making it real.
BRAVO, RAMON!!

OD Travel