cahn

Ahahaha, your (1) and (5), so much -- I love sympathetic antagonists so so much (and especially growth and change in, well, any characters, but particularly antagonists -- so I just love that in Traviata) -- but (1) was the one where I actually laughed out loud because although I'd not really thought about it in those words related to Traviata, that explains SO much of my obsessions in general (not just Germont, but see also: Javert, Spock, Simon Illyan,... pretty much all the characters I love, and even the specific situations where I fell hard for them (Javert's Suicide!)). (I... may be working on Don Carlo fic, and this may also explain why they keep weirdly turning out to be way more about Philip than I was expecting...) I think that's also another reason why the Salzburg Traviata hit me particularly hard, where it stresses Germont falling apart (compared to, say, the ROH Fleming/Calleja/Hampson, where it still happens, it's right there in the music, but it is much more restrained).

I like your (2)-(4) as well -- (4) is interesting because it's sort of a fine line for me; it produces such intense feelings for me that sometimes I really really like it, and sometimes it's too much and I can't take it. It depends a lot on the circumstances -- with Germont it is like kryptonite to me; with Rigoletto it's too much (I still like Rigoletto, but I can't commit to it the way I've fallen for Traviata), and I haven't quite sorted out what the difference is. Maybe that Germont's actual child doesn't die (and anyway he doesn't actually cause anyone to die), and Rigoletto's does?

I TOTALLY AGREE Germont is not a bad person, just trying to do the best he can! (Some of these later Traviata posts also have a subtext of me arguing against seekingferret; we had a cheerful argument about whether he was a villain or not -- I think he's clearly not, and not intended to be a bad person by Verdi, though his actions do cast him in the villain role, if that makes sense. So I really appreciate that you think this way too -- although TBH I am feeding you all the same (Hampson, ha) performances I've watched, which are very Germont-empathic, and I guess it might be possible to interpret him a little less sympathetically? But, but, the music argues so eloquently for him, in my opinion...) But yeah, I very much sympathize with Germont. And I understand my dad's perspective too (I'm sure I'll understand it even more once my kids begin to date! Even just imagining it, I... get it), and I really don't consider my dad a bad guy at all, just someone who was and is trying to do the best he could with the mental tools and baggage he came with, just like all of us :) (I was not nearly so sanguine at the time, mind you! Although I've always known he had a great deal more baggage than he allowed my sister and me to grow up with, and that probably helped me deal with it even at the time.) ...But at the same time, I must say that the bit where Germont comes in and is all "OMG!! I was wrong!!" is also deeply satisfying to me :)