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Under a spell: Tenor Jonah Hoskins conjures love and magic in 'The Elixir of Love'
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To win the object of his desire, Nemorino turns to magic.
Jonah Hoskins stars as the would-be mechanic-turned-sorcerer in Gaetano Donizetti鈥檚 鈥淭he Elixir of Love鈥� at the Santa Fe Opera. Performances run from Saturday, July 27, to Aug. 22.
Nemorino has fallen for Adina, a school teacher. He longs for her attention, but doesn鈥檛 feel worthy. Fortunately, he meets Dr. Dulcamara (most certainly a quack) who sells him a 鈥渕agic elixir鈥� that can make his dreams come true.
Under a spell: Tenor Jonah Hoskins conjures love and magic in 'The Elixir of Love'
鈥淣emorino鈥檚 great,鈥� Hoskins said. 鈥淗e鈥檚 super lovable. He is so in love with Adina. Eventually he realizes he has to resort to magic, so he buys an elixir of love, which is really alcohol.鈥�
That 鈥渕agic鈥� gives him confidence, finally sparking some interest from his love.
The Santa Fe show marks Hoskins鈥� third performance as Nemorino. The tenor has sung in 鈥淭he Elixir of Love鈥� at both the Metropolitan Opera and the San Francisco Opera. Hoskins was a Santa Fe apprentice from 2021 to 2022.
The singer grew up in Utah and graduated from Brigham Young University.
鈥淚 grew up singing in church and in the car with my family,鈥� he said. 鈥淲hen I was 9 or 10, I signed up for a children鈥檚 choir.鈥�
Hoskins took private voice lessons at 15. When he was 17, a teacher encouraged him to try out for an international competition in Boston. It didn鈥檛 go well.
鈥淭he judge told me I had assaulted him with my voice,鈥� Hoskins said, laughing.
He stayed on for a master class and won a scholarship to the Eastman School of Music.
鈥淭hat was the moment when I thought maybe there鈥檚 something there,鈥� he said.
Director Stephen Lawless has set this revival of Santa Fe鈥檚 2009 production in an Italian village in 1945. Nemorino works on the old cars.
鈥淣emorino changes a lot,鈥� Hoskins said. 鈥淗e grows up a little bit. He gains the confidence to look Adina in the eye and make her choose him for once.鈥�
Hoskins will next travel to Dresden, Germany, to sing the role of Count Almaviva in 鈥淭he Barber of Seville.鈥�
