Alan Buribayev opens December with Donizetti’s L’Elisir d’Amore

The opera house offers its audiences a rendezvous with one of the most charming and vibrant productions, with Maestro Alan Buribayev taking the conductor’s podium of the Astana Opera Symphony Orchestra.

The production of L’Elisir d’Amore, first presented to the capital’s audience in December 2021, is the result of a collaboration between Kazakh artists and renowned European masters. French stage director Arnaud Bernard, set designer Ezio Frigerio, and costume designer, the Academy Award winner Franca Squarciapino, have created a production where the lightness of opera buffa merges with rustic romance, and every scene seems to breathe warm southern sunshine. Under the baton of the production’s music director and conductor Alan Buribayev, the performance always sounds bright, spirited, and profoundly moving.

L’Elisir d’Amore is a simple yet incredibly charming story. The wealthy and capricious Adina playfully manipulates the feelings of Nemorino, who is deeply in love with her, even drawing a passing sergeant into the game. The stage features comic characters, romantic confessions, and light-hearted escapades. The entire intrigue revolves around a miraculous elixir sold by the itinerant doctor Dulcamara to the simple young man, promising the fulfilment of all his desires. Although the drink turns out to be just ordinary wine, it helps the heroes find the most important things: confidence, sincerity, and mutual affection.

Donizetti wrote this opera swiftly, literally on inspiration, and this is precisely what gave the music its incredible lightness. The melodies seem to dance, the plot moves rapidly, and comic situations are juxtaposed with touching moments. It is no wonder that L’Elisir d’Amore has remained one of the audience’s most beloved works for nearly two centuries.

Earlier, it was reported that Astana Opera dancers are preparing to perform at the Royal Opera House Muscat on December 4 and 5 at the special invitation of the Omani side.