Spokane Opera offers ‘Rita’

Once again, Spokane Opera has set out to prove that opera can be fast, fun — and filling.

For the third straight year, the local company is presenting a comic, one-act opera in a dinner theater setting at Luigi’s Italian Restaurant, beginning next Tuesday.

This year’s selection is Gaetano Donizetti’s twisted love triangle “Rita.” The title character is an innkeeper who abuses her subservient husband, Beppe. When her former husband, Gasparo, returns after being lost at sea, the two men end up gambling at cards — with the “winner” getting Rita, and each trying desperately to lose.

“In typical fashion, everything ends happily and there’s a moral to the story,” says Bill Graham, Spokane Opera’s executive director.

Such short (this one lasts 50 minutes) operas were often presented as entertainment during intermissions of major operas, Graham says.

“It’s kind of nice to be doing something fun and light, where people can laugh and have a good time,” he says.

Spokane Opera formerly did similar productions at Lindaman’s in the late 1980s before reviving the idea at Luigi’s. It’s proved so popular that performances have increased from two evenings the first year to four last year and to six this year.

“Rita” will be sung in English, and also includes spoken dialogue. Soprano Tamara Schupman, a longtime local performer, sings the title role. Baritone Rob Newman reprises the role of Gasparo, which he also performed in the Lindaman’s days. Wade Baker, a Whitworth College graduate who has appeared with the Portland Opera, sings the role of Beppe. Greg Presley provides musical accompaniment on keyboards.

Dinner includes Caesar salad, stuffed salmon and dessert, with a complimentary carafe of wine and a no-host bar open before the performance.