Simon Rattle's PARSIFAL could be regarded as Covent Garden's greatest achievement this year - IMO anyway. The clarity and precision of the orchestral music was some of the best I've ever heard rising to a pitch of almost unbearable intensity sometimes, and sublimely serene during the Good Friday music and the conclusion. Rattle's tempi are actually faster than some other conductors', notably Goodall, but they seem leisurely and expansive where appropriate.
The staging isn't wonderful, but I don't agree with some of the more negative criticisms. (In any case, you can always shut your eyes and listen!) Thhe only thing I found really objectionable was the rock that edged its way across the stage in Act III, looking rather like a giant hedgehog, and eliciting giggles and titters from the audience, which rather destroyed the solemnity of the occasion. The long table in for the Grail ceremony in Act I is an obvious reference to the Last Supper, and the fact that the Grail is not a cup but a large piece of dark crystal (obsidian? jet?) is based on Wolfram's PARZIVAL.
This is a cast to die for! The Flower Maidens are headed by singers of the calibre of Susan Gritton and Leah-Marian Jones (who also sang the First Esquire). Violeta Urmana was very moving as Kundry - it becomes obvious that this is as much a journey of self-discovery for Kundry as it is for Parsifal, as she emphasises the moment at which Kundry loses confidence in her power to seduce, and instead starts begging Parsifal to "seduce" her.
The Parsifal himself, Danish tenor Stig Andersen, was something of a disappointment in comparison with the other principals - he was competent, but the others were outstanding! (It is possible that his occasional weakness of tone was due to tiredness or illness, since he sounded better on the broadcast - of course I listened to the broadcast as well!)He did not move very confidently on stage, and seemed to be somewhat uninvolved, whereas the others all sang and acted with total conviction - not least Willard White as Klingsor, with burnished, ringing tones - he LOOKED good, too, although perhaps a little too benevolent. The orchestral playing really emphasised the sinuous, snake-like nature of his music.
John Tomlinson was a very impressive Gurnemanz, making the narration really gripping, since he sang with such fervour and conviction, making every word and gesture count. It has sometimes been claimed that this role can be "boring", but I have NEVER found it boring, especially not yesterday in Tomlinson's performance.
Well, I have saved the best till last _ Thomas Hampson's Amfortas.
I think I might run out of superlatives to describe this, such passion and intensity, without for a moment sacrificing his usual beauty of tone. Anyone reading this will probably already know that in this production Amfortas isn't carried on, he limps painfully and slowly around with the aid of an artificial arm. Hampson sings Amfortas's first words in a weary, muted tone, very expressive of the physical and mental agony that Amfortas is suffering - during the Grail scene in Act I you could FEEL the agony and almost SEE in in every facial expression. Then in Act III as he becomes almost hysterical, and begs/commands the knights to kill him and end his agony you could also feeel the anger and bitterness with which he spits out the final words -"Toetet den Suender mit seiner Qual - von selbst dann leuchtet euch wohl der Gral!"
The intensity came across even over the broadcast, and actually being there was overwhelming. (Almost comparable to Vickers' Tristan in the level of searing intensity.)All in all, this was one of the best performances of anything that I have ever seen.
Click HERE to visit the Home Page of the multi-talented Thomas Hampson
Click on the image to read an online text of Wolfram's PARZIVAL.
Click on this image for more general Grail links
Click on the portrait of Paul Verlaine to read his poem PARSIFAL.
Return to main opera page.
Return to Wagner page.
