A new production starts its run at the Royal Opera this weekend and will be broadcast on R3 on 18/12. I've never attended a successful production of this work and believed that it was flawed as a drama, that is until the latest Met production which changed my mind completely. As for the Met, Rene Pape takes the role of Gurnemanz, unlike the Met, there is no Kauffmann in the lead role. Gerald Finley as Amfortas is the most interesting casting. What will Pappano make of this most elusive and transcendental score? Anyone going?
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Yes! On Saturday. Travelling up from the wild west on Friday to get acclimatised
I have two live Parsifals under my belt - the first time round for the ENO one in 1999, and an ROH concert performance at the RFH (during the closure of the ROH) in 1998. That had a dream cast - Domingo, Tomlinson, Polaski, Howell, Leiferkus....Heinz Fricke stood in for an indisposed Horst Stein. Parsifal works well in concert performance, I think, except that poor Deborah Polaski's contribution to Act 3 was limited to a groan, which looks odd on the concert platform - she delivered it sitting down 
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I have read nothing in advance about this production but am looking forward to Rene Pape's Gurnemanz. Pappano is a fine Wagnerian in my book, so I have every confidence there.
On the subject of conducting Parsifal, David Cairns wrote a rather wacky review of the RFH performance saying you needed long arms to conduct Parsifal - Horst Stein is thus equipped, apparently, Heinz Fricke not. I suppose I understand what he meant
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Going on Sunday 15th from slightly less Wild West (North Wilts) and as a day trip. I have three concert performances: Proms 1972, Boulez - standing in Arena - over two nights. Leipzig, Kegel/Rene Kollo (+ CDs of that very performance). Proms a few years ago. Only one staged, also ENO, so I'm greatly looking forward and am ready to stand in if René Pape is indisposed as my namesake. Loved the live Kaufmann Met performance at the cinema in Swindon recently (audience about 13 people).Originally posted by Richard Tarleton View PostYes! On Saturday. Travelling up from the wild west on Friday to get acclimatised I have two live Parsifals under my belt - the first time round for the ENO one in 1999, and an ROH concert performance at the RFH (during the closure of the ROH) in 1998. That had a dream cast - Domingo, Tomlinson, Polaski, Howell, Leiferkus....Heinz Fricke stood in for an indisposed Horst Stein. Parsifal works well in concert performance
We've even booked for Kaufmann's Winterreise at ROH next year - daft venue for a song cycle but succumbed anyway via a friend who has priority booking (+ my wife fancies him)Comment
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Interesting that none of the above mention who is singing ......erm......well.....erm....Parsifal. Strange that.Comment
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I'll be going to the live screening at my local cinema on Dec 18th. I'm also looking forward to Pape's Gurnemanz, after having seen the screening of the Met's 'dream cast' production. I came to Parsifal rather late in life - I only listened properly to it 3 years ago, but since then have seen it at ENO and at this summer's Proms, as well as listening to far too many recorded versions.
Angela Denoke's Kundry is another performance I'm looking forward to. Yes - Parsifal himself... But I'd rather hear a fine Gurnemanz and a middling Parsifal than the other way round, I think.Comment
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Originally posted by DracoM View Post
Ah yes, Simon O'Neill. Siegmund in the recent ROH Ring. Should be good. Parsifal only about the 5th most interesting character in the opera, methinks
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But Act 2 and the opening and closing of Act 3 arguably the dialectic core of the opera??Comment
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Am at the general rehearsal tomorrow and will report back with some thoughts (though not a 'review'). Parsifal is O'Neill's greatest role, if his performance in Bayreuth is anything to go by. I also heard him in Act III in the chapel of King's College Cambridge early last year (a CUMS concert conducted by Elder), and he was great.Comment
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Looking forward to that, Prommer!Comment
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SPOILER ALERT (production-wise, not plot!)
In a word or three, really quite disappointing. A largely inoffensive, often quite dull staging shot through with bursts of provocative controversialism, viz. the Grail being revealed to be a young boy whom Amfortas is called upon to mutilate (ie that has become their warped rite), not sure why but I shudder to think. Yes, a sign of the community's "sickness" but where it gets us in relation to the work I don't know. I thought that a revolting corruption and very unpleasant to see on stage, personally.
Secondly, Parsifal is led by Gurnemanz in the Transformation Scene blindfolded, and turned and turned about, as if this is some satire on Freemasonry or initiation rites. Later, Kundry appears to blind Parsifal following his rejection of her, only to heal him in Act III. She and Amfortas cop off together at the curtain...
Thirdly, when Parsifal opens the Grail (a lit box) at the end, nothing happens - well, thankfully no boy is available for mutilation any more, so that's a plus. Message: stop placing your faith in these weird rites and go and do something else a bit more human and less savage. (I think.)
Need I go on?
Oh yes, musically: perfectly ok performances all round, Gerald Finley giving a well-sung legato Amfortas, the rest going through the motions. Pappano is miles off getting his arms around this piece or offering an interpretation, let alone a distinctive one.Last edited by Prommer; 28-11-13, 09:42.Comment
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Crikey! A dream of awfulness.Comment
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Groan. Going to the opera these days is as Dr Johnson said of second marriages a triumph of hope over experience. Ah well, got to go through with it now, the tickets are bought.Comment
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I have added some further bits to my original post. The reaction of the critics will be interesting. Langridge will say, if any of what I related is highlighted, 'well yes, horrible isn't it how communities are sick like this' (ie not just Amfortas), which is true but is its representation here true to the work and what was intended (even in spirit) by Wagner? To be clear, I don't require doves etc (let alone a rose garden, nor even a magic one), and I had so wanted this to cap Wagner 200, and with such a cast. Urgh. Who knows, I have read no other comments and spoken to no one about it, so if this is hailed as a triumph, please shoot me. And Richard, there is definite merit in seeing it for yourself - so we can discuss! I do not mean to put a dampener on things, just one person's view...Comment
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I didn't go to the dress, but I hear that some ardent and astute Wagnerians enjoyed it very much. So I am not deterred by Prommer's report, still less by DracoM's comment based on nothing other than that report.Comment
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Thanks, that's cheered me up greatlyOriginally posted by underthecountertenor View Post
. Off to catch the train shortly
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