ELISIR D'AMORE, L'

Anna Netrebko and Matthew Polenzani star in Donizetti's comic gem

Star soprano Anna Netrebko takes center stage as Adina, the irresistible heroine of Donizetti's comedy- Matthew Polenzani is Nemorino, the simple villager who wins Adina’s heart with the help of a mysterious "elixir of love" that bears a suspicious resemblance to French wine. The new production, by Tony Award-winning director Bartlett Sher (South Pacific on Broadway, the Met’s Il Barbiere di Siviglia, Les Contes d’Hoffmann, and Le Comte Ory), opened the Met’s 2012-13 season to critical acclaim. Charismatic baritone Mariusz Kwiecien sings Belcore, Nemorino’s swaggering rival, and Ambrogio Maestri is the potion-peddling traveling salesman Doctor Dulcamara. Italian conductor Maurizio Benini leads the performance, which features one of the most famous tenor arias in all of opera, "Una furtiva lagrima."