Elixir of Love at Leeds University Operatic Society

What fresh, bright faces greeted me at this University of Leeds production of Elixir of Love.

While much of this production was delivered in a musical theatre, pseudo-operatic style, the young voices not fully developed for the rigorous demands of the bel canto score, it was certainly an ambitious shoestring show that was full of youthful energy.

The amateur band of merry men was clearly immensely stretched in terms of budget, with the Spartan stage sporting very little adornment, however this did lend itself to the student spirit of the production. I had to laugh when a Northern accent announced before curtain up that “atmospheric effects would be used in this show.”

This production was placed in the modern context of a classics department at an English university and certainly worked a lot better in comedic terms than several professional productions of Elixir I’ve seen. The setting was suitable for the skills and capabilities of the young performers and I can see why this was an appealing opera to put on, though I can't help but wonder why they didn't choose something a little less ambitious vocally. Donizetti's score was simply beyond them.

Point 1 to the Leeds University Operatic Society: they managed to assemble one of the best looking casts I’ve ever seen onstage. I don’t know about you, but I never met any hot opera nerds in my time with amateur music societies… the drug peddler Ducamara looked like the lead singer from Franz Ferdinand.

                               Objects on the stage are hotter than they appear.

The bass playing Belcore had a great raw sound and excellent comic timing, however the effect was almost completely lost via one young American countertenor who felt the need to play centre stage in every scene. Unfortunately I did not find his antics funny; at best they were distracting, at worst disruptive.

The audience enjoyed the rebooted lyrics of the show which centered around drug-taking, parties and alcohol. Least convincing were the long duets and arias where the action stops, and which need to be carried by one or two people. Bel canto often takes its time about saying nothing, so you’d better be credible doing it. The long coloratura lines in the stand alone scenes were simply not there in the voices, but these folk are untrained and schooled at a basic level and in an English singing tradition only.

The most difficult aspect of the show for me was everyone in the cast’s tendency to sing under the note most of the time. A little ear training would have potentially done wonders, but again these young people have not trained as opera singers, and the support muscles that discourage out of tune singing are underdeveloped or unused completely. Our Nemorino, kitted out like a “faux nerd” from at 90s teen movie, delivered his famous aria in his best ardent music theatre tenor. However, this was clearly not an operatic production of an opera, and should not be judged as such. I have to say I enjoyed it on its own terms. It is what it is so draw your own conclusions.