Heady love potion intoxicates audience

Imagine if the course of true love ran smoothly.

No, on second thought, don't bother. Life would be a total bore.

Worse, there'd be no exquisite comic operas like L'elisir d'amore (The Love Potion), the Donizetti musical confection brought to charming fruition by the Toledo Opera last night in the Valentine Theatre.

Everything clicked in this lighthearted tour de force that closes the 2009-2010 season for Toledo's venerable opera company.

There were wonderful young voices, a robust chorus, so many comic stage bits even director Jeffrey Marc Buchman lost count - and he'd added them all to the action - plus charming sets and costumes.

With the stalwart Thomas Conlin in the pit, the Toledo Symphony became the precise sonic engine for the two acts.

As Adina, soprano Heather Buck was all light and embellishment, the embodiment of bel canto, the favored operatic style of Donizetti and his peers. Even better, Buck's acting seemed as natural and effortless as her vocal gymnastics.

Playing her earnest, bumbling suitor, tenor Bryan Griffin was just aw-shucks down home, at least dramatically. His young but promising voice was equal to every challenge Donizetti threw.

Baritone Timothy Mix as Belcore, the bumptious sergeant and ladies' man, was powerful and convincing. His voice has great strength and flexibility, never burdened by vocal gymnastics or dramatic nuances.

In the pivotal role as Dr. Dulcamara, baritone Marco Nistico sold the conniving huckster in a bright package. He held and propelled every scene in which he appeared.

It is my personal wish to hear more from Emily Ezzie, the soprano in the supporting role of Gianetta. Her rich sound was clean and even throughout a big range and the few solos she had revealed a smooth and supple voice.

Sets designed by Eduardo Sicango for the Virginia Opera were perfect on the jewel-box Valentine stage: an elaborate frame with the picture and all action spilling forth as if it were an operatic cornucopia. Period costumes by John Lehmeyer fit the setting to a "T." Lighting by Donald Edmund Thomas enhanced the scenes and helped foretell mood changes in the music.

Once more the Toledo Opera Chorus did itself proud as a performing ensemble, with great clarity of pronunciation and convincing dramatic projection.

The production was sung in the original Italian with English supertitles.

The Toledo Opera will repeat its production of Donizetti's The Love Potion at

7:30 p.m. May 7 and 2 p.m. May 9 in the Valentine Theatre. Tickets at $30-95 are available at 419-255-7464 or toledoopera.org.

Contact Sally Vallongo at:

svallongo@theblade.com.