Capriccio
Richard Strauss (1864-1949)
Music Director: Luke Housner
Stage Director: Josh Miller
Scenic Designer: Cameron Anderson
January 17–25, 2026
January 25, 2026, 3:00 PM
Due to the severe snowstorm and safety hazards forecasted to affect Philadelphia this weekend, we must regrettably cancel the final performance of Capriccio, scheduled for Sunday, January 25, 2026, at 3:00 PM.
While we were looking forward to seeing you at Sunday’s sold-out matinée, we are pleased to offer you any one of the following flexible options to redeem your ticket purchase:
- Exchange your tickets for a performance of AVA’s upcoming productions, I Capuleti e i Montecchi or Falstaff.
- Donate your tickets and receive a tax-deductible donation.
- Place the total sum of the tickets on account with AVA for a future purchase.
- Receive a full refund issued to the credit card used for your original purchase.
Please email Bill Buddendorf at bbuddendorf@avaopera.org or call 215-735-1685, (Monday–Friday, 9 AM–5 PM), regarding your tickets. If emailing, kindly include your name and selected option in your email.
Which is the more beautiful art – music or poetry? This timeless question lies at the heart of Capriccio, Richard Strauss’ final opera and a sublime blend of refinement, wit, and philosophical reflection. The opera follows the cultured and elegant Countess Madeleine as she navigates the affections of two ardent suitors – Flamand, a passionate composer, and Olivier, a fiery poet. Their rivalry sparks not only a romantic dilemma but also a profound exploration of artistic expression.
As Madeleine weighs each of their arguments and affections, she is drawn into a meditation on the nature of opera, love, and the human condition. Her search for an answer culminates in a striking moment of introspection, with the Countess uttering the opera’s most unforgettable line: “Opera is an absurd thing!”
First premiered in Munich in 1942, Capriccio is both a sophisticated comedy and a farewell to the era Strauss helped define. Now, this richly layered masterpiece returns to the AVA stage for the first time since the 2009–2010 opera season, inviting audiences to indulge in its luxurious score, refined humor, and timeless philosophical questions.
Staged as an innovative piano production and sung in German with English supertitles.
January 17, 20 & 22, 2026, 7:30 PM
AVA’s Helen Corning Warden Theater
January 25, 2026, 3:00 PM
AVA’s Helen Corning Warden Theater
Capriccio is generously sponsored by Barbara Augusta Teichert.
Season subscriptions are available here!
Meet the Artists
