Gundula Janowitz, R. Strauss: Capriccio, Climax of the Opera, Complete

Capriccio, A Conversation Piece for Music in One Act, by Clemens Krauss and Richard Strauss (1864 -1949), first performed in Munich, October 28, 1942.
Opera climax, complete. Gundula Janowtiz, soprano. Karl Böhm, conductor.

[English translation}
(Countess Madeleine singing from the sonnet to which music has been added:)

""Your image in my ardent bosom glows,
Enthroned there to keep my heart on fire;
Where you reside, there dwells my sole desire;
In vain would Venus beckon if she chose.

What joy, what pain your gentle eye bestows;
Indeed, one gaze can wild despair inspire;
The next restore my fondest hope entire.
Your glances deal me life or mortal blows.""

In vain do I try to keep them apart, for words and
music are blended together to form a single creation.
Mysterious experience,
finding one art restored by the other.

""Were yet my days prolonged beyond all measure,
No other being's favour would I treasure,
No other passion can compel my heart.
All through the waking hours my thoughts enfold;
All night my slumbering eyes in dreams behold;
Thus shall it be till from this earth I part.""

How their love is rising to meet me,
tenderly woven of verses and music.
How can I tear this delicate fabric?
Am I myself not part of its texture?
To make a decision?
For Flamand,
the noble spirit with the ardent glance,
for Olivier, the stalwart soul. the impassioned man?

Well, dearest Madeleine,
what says your heart?
Ah, you are loved,
but whom do you love now?
Oh, but it was sweet not to know.
You tried to make a treaty with passion,
and now you are on fire and cannot find refuge!
Deciding on either, losing the other!
Are we not the losers whenever we gain?
I look for your answer,
not for the question in your eyes.
Still mute? Madeleine, why? Madeleine!
Will you be destroyed between two fires?
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
You, mirror, showing a love-lorn Madeleine,
ah, please advise me.
Ah, can you help me to find the ending,
the end for our opera?
Can I find one that is not trivial?

(Majordomo)
Madame, your supper is served.

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Gundula
• Janowitz
• Capriccio
• Richard
• Strauss
• opera
• voice

[GwenAYF]

For me, the lyric voice is the most pure. It does not have to be big, only beautiful and accurate. Her technique is magnificent. Thank you

[ballycotton32]

Thank you for uploading this, it is a lovely piece sung by a magnificient singer, her voice soars.

[cabbalistic]

What a beautiful lyrical voice. I still remember listening in awe to the janowtiz/mathis duettino 'sull aria' featured in Shawshank Redemption - probably my first taste of opera music. ;)