Capriccio review: Sparks are a long time coming at Garsington

Richard Strauss’s last stage work, Capriccio, treats the hoary subject of whether words or music are more important in opera.

He and his librettist Clemens Krauss do their best to embody the abstract entities of poetry and music in flesh-and-blood characters. But when the director, La Roche (Andrew Shore) questions the viability of such an opera succeeding — “there won’t be much action!” — it’s difficult not to agree.

The fault lies partly in the production. Tim Albery allows the action to chug along amiably enough, aided by Tobias Hoheisel’s attractive period designs, but fails to strike enough dramatic sparks.

Things look up in the latter stages. First, the servants, subversively spotlit, offer their candid views on all they’ve seen. Then the somnolent prompter suddenly wakes up — Graham Clark contributing exactly the outré theatrical presence so needed. Finally, with the stage bathed in evocative candlelight, Miah Persson, looking and sounding radiant, appears as the Countess to deliver her rapturous meditation on the mysteries of art and love.

Sam Furness as the composer Flamand and Gavan Ring as the poet Olivier spar elegantly with lyrical appeal and flashes of passion.

Why do we not hear Capriccio more often? The work has some lovely music, but with this show, at least, the question only needs to be asked for the answer to be evident. For that transcendental last quarter of an hour, though, all is forgiven.

Until Jun 28 (garsingtonopera.org)