Following a fully staged performance of Salome at the Palais Theatre in 2020 and a semi-staged concert performance of Elektra in Hamer Hall last year, Victorian Opera returned to the Palais for the third part of a “Strauss Trilogy”. Of the three operas, Capriccio possibly lends itself best to a semi-staged concert performance. Reflecting its alternative name of “A Conversation Piece for Music”, the opera is text and music rather than action driven.
The answer to the central argument of the opera – “Which is the greater art, poetry or music?” – seems almost preordained. Given that Richard Strauss – master of highly descriptive tone poems – often dispenses with text in this opera suggests an inclination towards music. Having a major international conductor on the podium in front of an elite band of young musicians from the Australian National Academy of Music for this performance also tended to favour that conclusion. So it was regrettable that the full glory of Strauss’s score was somewhat hindered by having the orchestra on stage, and set well back to enable the singers to move about.
The sextet that is customarily played before the curtain rises sounded too remote, despite outstanding playing by the first violin, Felix Pascoe. His assurance, coupled with a most pleasing tone and pliant musicality, enabled Simone Young to sit motionless beside the viola player after a general acknowledgement, confident in an effective rehearsal process and the ability of the players. The transition between the overture and the opera proper was imaginatively conceived; Young mounted the podium towards the end of the sextet then a prerecorded version of the relevant music was played while the poet and composer presented their positions. Young only took up her baton when Theatre Director La Roche (Simon Meadows) woke from his slumbers on a couch placed at one end of the stage.
On the opposite side, Reuben Johnson was seated at a harpsichord, and was later joined by Orchestra Victoria Concertmaster Sulki Yu and a cellist – a trio intended to accompany a pas de deux. It was another extended piece of chamber music, but this time included amusing comments on the action by the singers, notably La Roche. Much of the humour of the opera lies in his comments, which range well beyond the pros and cons of words and music. One of his criticisms of orchestras is that they drown out the singers, but there was no danger of that in this performance. Winds and brass sounded particularly distant, although there was some exceptionally beautiful work coming from the horns; Nicola Robinson was fully deserving of her special bow and an enthusiastic reception from the audience for her long solo lines.
While opera buffa, vaudeville, scenery, arias and feminine charms were praised by La Roche, audience behavior, music that sounded like endless boring recitatives and, of course, critics were condemned. Capriccio might have been set in a chateau near Paris around 1775, but some of his comments appeared timeless. In this central role, Simon Meadows was vocally strong and generated much of the expansive gusto required for this opinionated champion of the theatre.
Representatives of poetry and music, the composer Flamand (Michael Schade) and the poet Olivier (Stephen Marsh) compete for the affections of The Countess (Vida Miknevičiūtė), pressing her to choose one of them. Celebrated German Canadian tenor Michael Shade has performed the role of Flamand on major international stages many times – and it showed. In addition to possessing a voice that is ringing, secure and most pleasing in timbre, his relaxed immersion in the role drew the audience into the contest as he responded to others’ arguments and then strolled over to the harpsichord to demonstrate (at one remove) how music can elevate words. Stephen Marsh was equally passionate in his attempts to woo the Countess, his rich, velvety baritone holding up well alongside Schade’s brighter tenor sound.
As the Count, baritone Samuel Dundas was a convincingly teasing brother, his interactions with Miknevičiūtė showing commendable rapport despite the difficulty of the music and understandable dependence on the score for a concert performance. His exchanges with mezzo-soprano Deborah Humble, playing the role of the famous actress Clairon, were similarly vibrant, and their reading of an excerpt from Olivier’s new play was presented with suitable theatricality. Both Dundas and Humble have beautiful, well-projected speaking voices in addition to luscious rounded tones when they sing. Stephen Marsh was also dramatically persuasive as he declaimed his love sonnet without music “spoiling” it.
Lithuanian soprano Vida Miknevičiūtė had scored great success as Salome in Victorian Opera’s production, and her fine acting skills, musicianship and considerable vocal prowess made her an impressive Countess. Although there was sometimes an edge in the tone on louder passages, there was a great deal in her performance to admire, particularly in the final extended scene as the Countess ponders her choice of suitor.
Almost two and a half hours without an interval can tax powers of concentration of even the most devoted opera fans, but Strauss has included several entertaining elements to keep the audience alert. Kathryn Radcliffe embraced the opportunity to display the coloratura excesses of the Italian soprano, with Carlos E. Bárcenas her willing accomplice as he scaled the tenor heights in stirring Italianate fashion. No ballet, but we did have a little vaudeville-style dance routine towards the end of the opera as an octet of tenors and basses entered to wonder at staff being included in an opera. It was deftly executed, especially given the tiny space available, with excellent vocal and physical coordination. Michael Petruccelli brought vitality to the role of the usually sleepy prompter Monsieur Taupe, and Teddy Tahu Rhodes was an imposing Major Domo, who actually had the last word.
Although Capriccio is often performed with an interval, the choice to present this “opera in one act” straight through seemed appropriate, even though the large audience didn’t have to hurry home before the bombs started to fall, as they did when the opera was first performed in Munich in 1942. As it must have done in those dark times, the combination of words by Clemens Krauss words and music by Richard Strauss retains the power to take us to another, kinder world. Victorian Opera can chalk up yet another significant success.
Image supplied.
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Heather Leviston reviewed Richard Strauss’s “Capriccio”, performed by Victorian Opera and the Australian Academy of Music at the Palais Theatre, St Kilda, on August 31, 2023.
