Recorded just eight years after the premiere of Capriccio, and only one year after Richard Strauss's death, this performance preserves the work at a fascinating point in its early performance history. The cast strikes an ideal balance between the opera's conversational style and the vocal opulence that remains unmistakably Straussian.

Lisa Della Casa is sublime as the Countess, bringing a youthful, radiant soprano that soars effortlessly above the orchestra while preserving the Mozartean purity and elegance of her instrument. Paul Schöffler lends warmth, humanity, and a beautiful richness of tone to La Roche, while Anton Dermota's graceful, refined tenor makes an unforgettable impression as Flamand. Karl Böhm, one of Strauss's greatest interpreters, leads the score with remarkable attention to orchestral detail, the natural cadence of the text, and the opera's subtle dramatic pacing.