In The Elixir of Love, Gaetano Donizetti's delightful two-act opera, Nemorino, a simple country lad in a 19th-century Italian village, is madly in love with the village beauty, Adina. This is a special experience for him and he doesn't know how to handle it. He makes his sentiments known with undue diffidence. As is only proper in an opera's first act or in any love story, she spurns his shy advances, though she's somewhat interested.
Along comes the handsome Sergeant Belcore in a dashing uniform. He's leading a troop of soldiers. As one might have predicted, he is smitten with Adina, who is not blind to his charms, and rushes to claim her heart. Almost to tease Nemorino for his shyness, she consents to marry Belcore but, as the time approaches for the wedding ceremony, she stalls.
Nemorino thinks she is lost forever. He's heartbroken. Enter Dr. Dulcamara, an entrepreneurial medical quack who recognizes a business opportunity when he sees one. He learns of Nemorino's sad plight and offers to sell him an elixir of love that is certain to help him win Adina.
It's a lot of money for a poor peasant lad, but Nemorino shells out a ducat for the potion-a flask of cheap wine-and proceeds to use same as prescribed. In short order, he senses a change. He's feeling good. Reckoning that the love potion is working, he is emboldened. He begins to dance and sing. (What do you expect in an opera?) He now treats Adina with indifference, which, as you know, will do it every time.
Seeing how well one bottle works, Nemorino figures another should work even better. But he lacks the cash. To raise funds, he joins the army and uses part of his enlistment bonus to buy another bottle, which begins to follow the first.
At this point, it becomes known to the lovelies in town-but not to Nemorino-that his rich uncle has died and named Nemorino his heir. Nemorino is wealthy.
As one might expect in an opera, though not necessarily in real life, the village maidens all become enamored with Nemorino. They surround him lovingly. He has grown irresistible charm.
Dulcamara observes the transformation. He's amazed. "By golly," he exclaims, though not in those exact words, "my love potion works."
Fast-forward about a century to Charlie's company, which had been floundering. Hoping to boost productivity, Charlie starts every morning with an inspirational lecture to his staff.
At about this time, his engineers develop a wonderful new product. Sales and profits begin to skyrocket.
"By golly," Charlie exclaims, though not in those exact words, "my lectures are working."
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