Strauss’s Der Rosenkavalier is surely unique in its voluptuous orchestral introduction, opening with soaring virtuoso horns (Strauss’s father was a noted horn player) and then sensuous strings, reaching up to an orgasmic climax, richly sensuous in the hands of Andrew Davis. The Marschallin – whose character came to dominate the opera as it was being written – and the 17-year-old Octavian are making passionate love behind the curtain, and as it draws up, there is no doubt about what has been happening. But Octavian has to hide quickly at the approach of the Marschallin’s cousin, Baron Ochs. He has arrived seeking to marry the opera’s heroine, Sophie, and chooses Octavian as his emissary, carrying a ceremonial silver rose.

All three characters are splendidly drawn here, Octavian (a winning Ann Murray, not too feminine), Baron Ochs (Kurt Moll) with a rich low register to all but dignify his underlying boorishness, and Anna Tomowa-Sintow a commandingly sympathetic, mature and worldly-wise Marschallin, full-toned but at times with a slightly intrusive vibrato. Yet when later she tells her youthful lover how much she is disturbed about the passage of time and the approach of old age, her singing is touchingly beautiful.

The celebrated meeting of Octavian, the silver rose-bearer, with Sophie (Barbara Bonney) in Act 2 is a magic moment, as it must be, with Bonney’s higher register exquisitely controlled. The burlesque horseplay with Ochs and his retinue which follows is vividly managed too, although this a part of the opera which calls for a DVD, or at the very least a translated libretto, which irritatingly is not supplied and is only available online.

Nevertheless, in the great trio of the third act the three voices meld ravishingly, as the Marshallin generously gives the young lovers her blessing, and Sophie and Octavian finally go off rapturously together to another of Strauss’s most memorable yet engagingly simple tunes. Throughout, the orchestral playing under Davis is superb (notably the delicate waltz sequence) and wonderfully supportive for the singers, never more so than in this touching final duet. The recording is fully satisfactory; but enjoyable as it is, I would not chose this Royal Opera set in preference to Schwarzkopf/Karajan or Te Kanawa/Haitink.