Setting: The Basque Country

Adina, a wealthy landowner, reads aloud from the story of Tristan and Isolde, watched by Nemorino, a young labourer. He is in love with Adina but despairs of ever winning her. Listening to the story, the villagers are very taken with the idea of the love potion drunk by Tristan, which produced an immediate effect on Isolde’s icy heart.

Sergeant Belcore arrives with a detachment of soldiers and immediately begins to court Adina. To Nemorino’s dismay, she not only responds favourably, but invites him and his soldiers to stay in the village.

Adina, left alone with Nemorino, advises him to visit his wealthy uncle, who is sick, and give up pining. Constancy in love is not in her nature, she tells him. Nemorino remains adamant: like a river, he can only follow the course of his passion.

Dulcamara, a quack doctor, arrives, proclaiming his merchandise and its merits, arousing great excitement. When Nemorino asks for ‘the elixir that won Queen Isolde’, Dulcamara produces it, and sends Nemorino away happily with a bottle of cheap Bordeaux, telling him it will only begin working in twenty-four hours’ time. Dulcamara has never met such a simpleton, he declares, planning to disappear before the ‘elixir’ takes effect.

Nemorino drinks; by the time Adina returns he is content simply to wait for the elixir to take effect. His lack of interest arouses her own, and when Belcore enters to tell her that he and his detachment must leave tomorrow, and lightly asks Adina to marry him today, she agrees – to pique Nemorino.

Nemorino falls into despair: he needs twenty-four hours for the elixir to take effect, but Adina won’t put off the wedding even for a day. As the villagers look forward to celebrating the marriage, Nemorino fears his happiness has gone forever.