With his L'elisir d'amore (The Elixer of Love), composed in 1832 Donizetti wrote something far greater than a mere comic opera: this was perhaps the first example of a moving, middleclass genre of theatre where the characters lose their farcical stereotyped characteristics and, thanks to clever writing, become much more realistic. L'elisir d'amore was premiered at the Teatro della Canobbiana in Milan on the 12th of May, 1832 and was a huge success with the public and critics alike. And this, Donizetti's comic masterpiece, has continued to enjoy similar success right up to the present day. The aria Quanto è bella, quanto è cara is sung by Nemorino in the first act and is still one of the favourites of the opera sung by all great lyric tenors.