Tim Ashley [Guardian, 28 August 2007]

First performed in 1786, Antonio Salieri's Prima la Musica, Poi le Parole would probably have been consigned to limbo had it not been for the fact that Strauss was famously drawn to the libretto, which eventually became the starting point for his own opera Capriccio. Given that a new production of the latter is one of the main events of this year's festival, it seemed an appropriate time to revive Salieri's curio for a concert performance with Nicholas McGegan conducting the Scottish Chamber Orchestra.