Elixir of Love

Sat., Sept. 25, 2 p.m., free, Italian Market piazza, Ninth and Montrose sts., 215-238-1555, operatheater.org.

by Josh Middleton

[ opera ]

Imagine — Italian Market: The Musical! Shoppers dancing in the street, vendors humming a tune as they weigh their shiny apples and L&I agents stomping toward the smelly fish stands, tapping their clipboards to the beat. Sound absurd? Don't be too quick to discount it; this shit's totally going down. The Center City Opera Theater will be performing a modernized version of Donizetti's popular opera L'elisir D'amore (Elixir of Love) this weekend in the piazza — right underneath the Frank Rizzo mural. The entire parking lot will be turned into a mini-version of the Italian Market, with booths from market staples like Di Bruno Bros. and Anthony's Italian Coffee House lining the perimeter. Director Andrew Kurtz says he's hopeful that this site-specific adaptation will get people involved with the story and provide an updated view of this age-old masterpiece: "The story of an opera can be enhanced by taking it out of the theater and putting it in a space that enhances the story."