Nemorino (William Parker) is in a world of his own. He is desperately in love with Adina (Angela Di Serio, right), but he’s just a simple country boy and feels he has no hope of winning her love. She barely notices his existence.
Adina (Katharine Scavone, in our alternate cast) is reading a love story, and the peasants ask her to read it aloud. It turns out to be the story of Tristan and Isolde, and recounts how Tristan used a magic potion to win the love of the cruel and heartless Isolde. Nemorino pays close attention.
The situation for Nemorino gets worse with the arrival of Sergeant Belcore (Stephen Targett) and his soldiers. Belcore clearly has his eye on Adina right from the start, and he’s not shy and timid like Nemorino.
In our alternate cast, Yevgeny Yablonovsky as Belcore dazzles all the local village girls. It also seems clear, especially to an unhappy Nemorino, that Adina is definitely interested.