Inland Northwest Opera’s ‘La Traviata’ finds a groove in 1920s Hollywood

Returning to the Martin Woldson Theater at the Fox to close their 2022 season, Inland Northwest Opera’s production of “La Traviata” brought Giuseppe Verdi’s tragic tale forward nearly a century to Hollywood and the tail end of the 1920s. Leaning into the aesthetic of the Fox, artistic director Dan Wallace Miller chose to set the production in 1928.

A starlet on the edge of her downfall, Violetta Valery (Raquel Gonzalez) faces a sea of sneering faces, two-faced friends, and a public hungry for blood every night. Weakened by illness and existential dread, Violetta falls into the arms of Alfredo (Andrew Stenson), the son of a hard-hearted minister Germont (Troy Cook). Totally unfamiliar with the world of Hollywood, Alfredo’s naivete and devotion persuade Violetta to leave everything behind and take what she sees as her only chance at true love.

Gonzalez, Stenson and Cook gave consistently stunning vocal performances throughout this show, quickly reminding me how I first fell in love with this opera.

The real stand out though was Cook’s portrayal of Germont, Alfredo’s father.

Germont is always a difficult character, but this version was on another level. In other productions, he has redeeming qualities. You get the sense that Germont quickly gains a kind of respect for Violetta – that if only society were a little more accepting, Germont would’ve allowed them to stay together. But here, you know there was never a chance.

There were several moments during their interaction that spoke volumes about who Germont is. The section during their duet where he tells her “weep, weep, unhappy girl” over and over again; when she asks him to embrace her like his daughter for strength and he touches her shoulder, stoically, at arm’s length; when he takes her medicine away with him when he leaves. In just a few gestures, he told his life story and spelled Violetta’s doom.

“La Traviata,” reviewed Friday, will be staged a second time at 3 p.m. Sunday at the Fox. The show is sung in Italian with English supertitles. Inland Northwest Opera will host a pre-show discussion one hour before at the Fox. All patrons are welcome to attend. For tickets and information, visit https://inlandnwopera.com/.

Stephanie Hammett can be reached at (509) 459-5013 or at stephanieh@spokesman.com.