In the Adina’s mansion peasants are resting and drinking wine from local vineyards.  Among them there is poor peasant Nemorino who loves Adina deeply.  But she is indifferent to him.  Everyone knows about that and Adina’s friend Gianetta together with other maids laugh at him.  Adina appears.  She retells the peasants the legend about Tristan and Isolde she has just read.  From the story Nemorino learns about magic elixir of love which was given to Tristan by beautiful Isolde.  Ancient legend and dreams about love potion excited Nemorino.

At this time regiment under the command of sergeant Belcore marches into the village.    Adina draws attention of the brave sergeant.  Nemorino is worried and suffers badly.  Being left alone with Adina Nemorino tells her about his love.  However thoughtless and capricious girl treats his words as a joke.

The traveling doctor, Dulcamara, arrives unexpectedly to the village selling his cure-all medicine to the people.  He is a cheat and a boaster.  After having heard that Nemorino longs to get the elixir of love Dulcamara boasts of having it and promises that in a day Adina’s heart will belong to Nemorino who buys the elixir for all his money.  He cannot even imagine that it is wine only.

Drinking it Nemorino becomes impudent and joyful.  He pretends to be completely indifferent to Adina.  The maid is irritated and decides to teach him a good lesson.  She promises to marry sergeant Belcore even the same day.  At a moment Nemorino grows sober.  He understands that he may lose his beloved and pleads Adina to wait one day.  Happy sergeant invites everyone to a wedding party.

The wedding party is taking place in the courtyard near Adina’s house.  Congratulating young couple, guests are singing and dancing.  Dulcamara entertains guests with funny barcarolle.  Adina looks for Nemorino because she had arranged this celebration to revenge on him.  Unfortunately Nemorino is not among the guests.

Notary comes.  Belcore hurries to sign the wedding agreement with Adina.

Nemorino comes.  He is in despair because soon he may lose Adina for ever.  He sees Dulcamara and pleads for help. Doctor advises him to buy one more bottle of the “magic elixir” but young man does not have money.

To earn some money Nemorino has to be recruited for the service in the regiment of his rival Belcore.

At that time gossipy Gianetta spreads the rumour through the village that Nemorino’s uncle has died and left to his nephew great fortune.

Together with other maids Gianetta tries to attract Nemorino’s attention as he is rich now.  Knowing nothing about his uncle’s death, Nemorino takes girls’ coquetry for influence of the “magic elixir”.

Adina sees Menorino among other maids.  She is jealous and understands that she loves him.  Dulcamara is astonished: maybe his elixir is really magic?  He sees Adina’s despair and decides to offer her “love potion” too.  However the girl refuses.  She is confident that she has her own magic.  She will charm Nemorino with her beauty.

Having learned that in the name of their love Nemorino was recruited, Adina redeems from Belcore his recruit agreement and tells Nemorino about that.  But the young man decides not to take her present till she says truly that she loves him.  Seeing beautiful Adina in Nemorino’s arms Belcore is not dissapointed; there are plenty of charming women in the world.

Dulcamara convinces everybody that it was his wonderful elixir that joined two hearts.  He bids forever to hospitable peasants and harries up to make other people happy, those who dream about magic “elisir d’amore”.