PARSIFAL

Richard Wagner 1813 – 1883
Opera in three acts
Libretto by the Composer
First performed July 26th 1882, Festspielhaus, Bayreuth
Sung in German with German surtitles
Performances
Sunday 15.03.2015
21.03.2015 |29.03.2015 |03.04.2015 |06.04.2015

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About the Piece
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Wagner’s opera is full of allegory. Amfortas, guardian of the Holy Grail, was seduced by Kundry and wounded by Klingsor when he entered his magic garden, where he also lost the Sacred Spear. Gurnemanz, the wisest of the brotherhood, thinks Parsifal, a simple young man, might be the one who will be able to close these wounds again, but years are to pass before this turns out to be the case, years before he returns, with the Sacred Spear, is annointed and the Holy Grail – “It shall be hidden no more” – is revealed. The most mysterious character in the work is Kundry, who was cursed to wander the earth forever for laughing at Jesus’ sufferings. She returns at the end of the opera and washes Parsifal’s feet. He baptises her and she sinks, lifeless, to the floor. It is extraordinary how this production holds you spellbound from start to finish.

Wagner’s opera is full of allegory. Amfortas, guardian of the Holy Grail, was seduced by Kundry and wounded by Klingsor when he entered his magic garden, where he also lost the Sacred Spear. Gurnemanz, the wisest of the brotherhood, thinks Parsifal, a simple young man, might be the one who will be able to close these wounds again, but years are to pass before this turns out to be the case, years before he returns, with the Sacred Spear, is annointed and the Holy Grail – “It shall be hidden no more” – is revealed. The most mysterious character in the work is Kundry, who was cursed to wander the earth forever for laughing at Jesus’ sufferings. She returns at the end of the opera and washes Parsifal’s feet. He baptises her and she sinks, lifeless, to the floor. It is extraordinary how this production holds you spellbound from start to finish.

Cast

Conductor
Bertrand de Billy
Director
Christof Nel
Revival rehearsed by
Orest Tichonov
Scenic Analysis
Martina Jochem
Stage Designer
Jens Kilian
Costume Designer
Ilse Welter
Lighting Designer
Olaf Winter
Dramaturge
Norbert Abels
Chorus Master
Tilman Michael

Parsifal
Frank van Aken
Gurnemanz
Franz-Josef Selig
Kundry
Claudia Mahnke
Amfortas
Johannes Martin Kränzle
Klingsor
Simon Bailey
Titurel
Magnús Baldvinsson
Blumenmädchen
Louise Alder
Karen Vuong
Judita Nagyová
Elizabeth Reiter
Jenny Carlstedt
Maria Pantiukhova *

Gralsritter
Hans-Jürgen Lazar
Gralsritter
Iurii Samoilov
Knappe
Elizabeth Reiter
Knappe
Jenny Carlstedt
Knappe
Michael Porter *
Knappe
Michael McCown

Oper Frankfurt’s Orchestra, Chorus and Extra Chorus

* Member of the Opera Studio