L'Elixir D'Amore is one of my favourite Donizettis, that is alongside Lucia Di Lammermoor and La Fille Du Regiment. And this is a delicious film version, not my absolute favourite version(the 1967 version with Scotto, Bergonzi, Taddei and Cava) but very close. I would have perhaps preferred sharper picture quality, there were times when the lip sync seemed to be I think behind the voices and the sound could have been less fuzzy in places, though this is me being fussy. I did like the production values, the costumes are sumptuous and the sets never look cheap. Like the opera should be, the film is funny with Dulcamara, heartfelt with Una Furtiva Lagrima and charming everywhere else. Musically, it is superb, sprightly orchestral playing, conducting that keeps things moving along nicely and the chorus well balanced and characterful. And the performances are just great. Nelly Corradi is a charming Adina, in regard to the vocals of Adina I would have preferred a fruitier sound but I enjoyed the flexibility that you do need for Donizetti and Bel-Canto in general. Gino Sinimberghi is a very effective Nemorino, reminding one of a more gracious Carlo Bergonzi, vocally Nemorino has a similar basic sound and such to Bergonzi I felt. Italo Tajo is wonderful as the quack Dulcamara, he is incredibly funny without ever resorting to buffoonery and has one of the more beautiful voices of anybody singing this role. But the film is best seen I think for Tito Gobbi's Belcore(of the six or seven L'Elisirs I've seen he's the joint best with Taddei) I'll be honest in saying that I don't think Gobbi had the most beautiful or powerful voice I've heard but his acting, musicianship, intelligence and diction are absolutely impeccable here and his Come Paride Vezzoso does boast some of his most lovely singing ever. All in all, probably a rather clichéd phrase but simply delicious. 8.5/10 Bethany Cox
