THE STORY OF "PARSIFAL."

Star (Christchurch), Issue 8101, 29 August 1904, Page 1

THE STORY OF "PARSIFAL."

WAGNER'S GREAT LYRIC DRAMA. Jn Richard Wagner's great tvork, "Parsifal," the characters are symbolic, aJid tlie theme sabred and injpr«ssive. In the Castle of Mnnlsalvat in the Ppreiwes is preserved th« Holy Grail, the ves.se" in which was caught the blood of the Saviour upon the Cross. This cup is guarded 'by the Knights of the Grail, whose chief is Arafortas. In I the valley dwells Klingfov, the magician who, because of his sinful life, *has "been denied •admission to the band of Knights. He seeks to destroy them. In his uingic garden he has assembled a band of wanton beauties. Amfoitai3 one© yielded to their blandishment?, and the sacred spear, with which the Saviour tvbp wounded on the Cross, was taken from him. Amfortas was wounded by it, and only a touch .frovn.it can cur© his hurt. Now the lance is in the possession of Klingsor. It can only be recovered by a "guileless fool, enlightened by pity." Such a. one appears in the person of Parsifal, who, through ignorance, kills a aacred swan. He is taken to the castle to witness the unveiling of tho Graiil, and the celebration of the sacred supper. He views it stupidly, and' is c* B ' l forth. In the second act Parsifal approaches Klingsor's castle. The magician summons Kundry, ai curious woman of great beauty, who is faithful to the knights when she , is herself, but strives for their destruction when under Kiingsor's spell. Sbs is ordered to tempt Parsifal. The latter does not, comprehend the advances of tie beautiful women who ply seductive arts, but Kundry moves him. He is about to yield, bufc is enlightened ac to hia sacred duty. He casts off the temptress. Klingsor, enraged at the failure of the plot, hurls at him the socred spear. The weapon pauses miraculously in mid-air. Parsifal seizes ifc, antf makes the sign of the Cross. Instantly the scene of revelry and beauty is trarissformetl to on© of destruction and desolation. Many years elapse before the third aot. It i« Good Friday. Kundry, in the garb of a penitent, comes to serve at the hut of old Gurnemanz, the 'hermit. Parsifal arj rives, clad in black armour, with visor closj ed, and bearing the spear. His one desire is to Teturn to Montß*lvat and heal Amfortn©, who, hoping for release from enifFeriag through death, no longer unveils the Grail, and without its comforting power is wasting away. Kundry bathos tthe feet of Par--1 eifal, and both are baptised by Gurnemanz. j They return to the Temple, where tho knights atre making vain appeal to Amfortas to once more uncover the Grail, and he implores them to kill him. Parsifal touches Anrfortas with the spear and heals his wound. Parsifal is acknowledged as j the new king of the urail. All kneel in I homage before him. Kundry finds freedom from sin in death. " Parsifal " is a pictorial . sermon. Jt calls up out of the past a Conception, of sia, its punishment and' its absolution. The whole atmosphere of tfoa drama is mediayal, find; from mediaeval literature Wagner obtained the material for it. <TJxe legends of the Quest of tie Holy Gxail have become incorporated into th© folklore of many lands. / Th« one great sensation of last year'a B©a*on in America) was the production of Wagner's " Parsifal " at the Metropolitan Opera' House, New York. The representation was preceded by a long argument between Herr Concried and Madame Wagner, who, for sentimental reasons, persisted in declining to sanction the production of tho work outside of Bayreuth, 'bufc Concried at last prevailed, .and produced " Parsifal " with a great oast at. the Metropolitan Opera House. The public excitement and-'enthu-siaam were absolutely, \mprecadentedThe. performance cemmenccd each ;day in the afternoon, -with. «n interval for dinner, the same audience assembling wgain in, the evening. The already high prices afc the Opera House were greatly iucrea«d fo£ this » - producbioa, and the receipts for each repre- j 1 sentationof "Parsifal" averaged over £oOUO, I < thus establishing a record whi&h ! h«« v f r ' been approached in any other theatre m i the world for a number of consecutive per- i formances. The story of the Holy Grail has j nff\v been put into dramatic form «« a < " stage coneecrating music play," with wagner's music, and', it is now being pr^r" i with «normouH- success at the Alcazar,^ 6 " , : atre in San Fr«wji?co. In all probability , _ Australiaa .playgoers will -have an : opp°r tv ?- - lty to -witness this great work at an »»y 4ate, as Mr J. C. Williamson « negotiac- . I ing for tie American dramatic T*rsion. « - ■ ■■ • " - < . ■ 1