Capriccio EIF review - 'Crystalline, accomplished and without garish flourishes'

Malin Byström leads a superb cast for Richard Strauss's final opera. | Andrew Perry

Edinburgh International Festival Closing Concert: Capriccio

Usher Hall

★★★

The language of love is often expressed through art, but which form communicates it best – music or words? In Richard Strauss’s final opera, Capriccio, they’re the tools of musician Flamand (Sebastian Kohlhepp) and poet Olivier (Stephen Marsh) in their desperate attempts to win the attention of the Countess (Malin Byström), who becomes distracted as to which is the superior art form. For the Countess, both music and words are eloquent and captivating, but each lacks something the other possesses.

Dedicated to Sir Andrew Davis, who was originally to conduct the Edinburgh International Festival Closing Concert before his death in April, this performance saw Alexander Soddy conduct the Philharmonia Orchestra, in playing that was crystalline, accomplished and without garish flourishes.

At more than two hours in length, however, the opera itself becomes repetitious, lifting only momentarily with the introduction of fresh characters and tangential stories – Reinhard Hagen and Rodell Rosel’s late number was a hearty, comedic distraction.

In places, the libretto and score fought to be heard - ironic given the narrative, though not intentionally effective.

The opera’s conversational structure, with an emphasis on spoken word, did have its moments of light-hearted lampooning, particularly in a droll performance from Danish baritone Bo Skovhus, but these self-aware interludes didn’t solve the overarching issues.