Nemorino, a poor peasant, is in love with Adina, a beautiful landowner. She torments him with her seeming indifference. When Nemorino hears Adina reading to her workers the story of Tristan and Isolde, he considers using a magic potion to gain Adina's love. He is afraid she loves Sergeant Belcore. The Sergeant appears with his regiment. He proposes marriage to Adina. The traveling quack salesman, Dulcamara arrives, selling his bottled cure-all to the townspeople. Nemorino asks Dulcamara if he has anything like Isolde's love potion. Dulcamara says he does. He sells it to Nemorino at a price matching the contents of Nemorino's pockets. The bottle contains only wine. In order to make a timely escape, Dulcamara tells Nemorino the potion will not take effect until the next day. Nemorino drinks it, feeling its effects immediately.