Richard Strauss Opera Capriccio
Capriccio, a conversation piece for music, is a one-act opera composed by Richard Strauss (June 11, 1864 - Sept 8, 1949). Libretto was written by Clemens Krauss and Richard Strauss. It was first performed at Munich, K?nigliches Hof- und Nationaltheater, October 28th, 1942. The setting is at chateau near Paris, about 1775, when Christoph Willibald Gluck was beginning his opera reforms.Capriccio is the last completed opera by Richard Strauss. Although he used the orchestral music sparingly in favor of the amusing conversational passages, he still provided a variety of music of a more lyrical cast when opportunity rose. The forms include ballet, bel canto duet, sonnet, recitative, area, among others. Capriccio was inspired by "Prima la musica e poi le parole (1786), a comical work by Antonio Salieri and librettist Biambattista Casta about tensions among opera personalities.
Main Characters in CapriccioThe Countess (soprano)The Count, Her brother (baritone)Flamand, A Composer (tenor)Olivier, a poet (baritone)La Roche, The Theatre-director (bass)Clairon, Famous Parisian Actress (contralto)Plot Synopsis
Act I. Salon of a Rococo Castle Overlooking a Park
Gathered in the chateau of a Countess and her brother are a composer, a poet and a theatre director. The widowed countess sits rapt as she listens to the new string sextet composed by Flamand. The composer and the poet Olivier find out they are rivals for the affections of the Countess. La Roche, who slept through the compositions, awakes and the three men discuss current opera trends.
The great actress Clairon will be coming soon to read through Oliviers's new play with the Countess's brother, the Count, La Roche reveals. Olivier insists that he still admires Clairon's talent although he is no longer in love with her. Olivier, Flamand and La Roche prepare the stage for the afternoon's rehearsal. The Countess praises Flamand's music but evades the Count's questions about her romantic interest in the composer and the poet. La Roche returns and praises the birthday celebration he has arranged for the Countess.
Clairon arrives and reads through Olivier's play with the Count. She is impressed with the Count and the group retires offstage to rehearse. Olivier repeats the love sonnet from his play, addressing it to the countess. Flamand sits down to set the sonnet to music. Flamand, Olivier and La Roche wonder about the struggle between words and music.
london escorts
La Roche is invited to describe his theatre project but quarreling breaks out as Flamand and Olivier suggest the titles. The director defends his art, and pleads for the stage to be peopled "with beings like us, who speak our language!"
Moved by what La Roche said, the Countess commissions an opera on the spot, and her brother finds the perfect story. He escorts Clairon back to Paris. Composer and poet leave reconciled, already at work on the new opera. The Countess ponders how the opera will end. Who is the victor: poet or composer? She called for supper, hums Flamand's melody, inspired by Olivier's sonnet.
Sources:
Martin, Nicholas Ivor. The Da Capo Opera Manual. New York: Da Capo Press, 1997
Morley, Sir Alexander F. Harrap Opera Guide. London: Harrap, 1970
Riding, Alan and L.D. Downer. Opera. London: DK, 2006
https://suite101.com/article.cfm/richard_strauss_opera_capriccio