Synopsis
The devout king Titurel has received two wondrous relics from the
Angels, the Holy Grail (the cup from which Christ drank at the Last
Supper and in which his blood was caught when he was crucified) and the
spear with which his side was pierced. They are kept in the Castle of
the Grail. Titurel has founded a Brotherhood of Knights who,
miraculously strengthened by the relics, ride out into the world to
help those in distress. The knight Klingsor tried to gain acceptance
into the Brotherhood, but could not fulfil the law of chastity and so
castrated himself in order to kill off his lustful desires. Titurel
turned him away, and in revenge Klingsor transformed part of the
surrounding wilderness into a magic castle and garden. Here he has
created bewitching young maidens whose purpose is to seduce the
knights, and he ultimately hopes to gain possession of the Grail.
Amfortas, having taken over as king of the Grail from his father
Titurel, sees that an increasing number of knights are falling under
Klingsor´s power and so leaves to do battle with the evil magician,
armed with the sacred spear. However, he is seduced by a mysterious
maiden. Klingsor seizes the spear and inflicts a wound in Amfortas´
side. This wound will not close, and the king is left in agony.
Act One – Autumn
A clearing near the Castle of the Grail. Gurnemanz, an elderly
knight, rouses the squires from morning prayer and instructs them to
prepare for the king´s daily bath in the Holy Lake. A woman comes
riding by in a great hurry. It is Kundry, enigmatic messenger of the
knights of the Grail. She selflessly undergoes tribulation to serve the
Brotherhood, yet always remains abrupt and cold. She has brought a
balsam from afar in an attempt to heal the wounded Amfortas, and falls
to the ground exhausted. The king is borne in on a litter. He has spent
another night in great pain; a medicinal herb brought to him by the
knight Gawain has proved to be ineffective. He now wants to try the
balsam procured by Kundry, but she remarks with despairing scorn that
this too will be of no use.
The king is carried to the lake. The squires, who regard Kundry with
apprehension and suspicion, call her a heathen and a sorceress, but
Gurnemanz comes to the help of the "wild woman", reminding the squires
of her devoted services to the Grail. The squires suggest that she be
sent off to recover the missing spear, but Gurnemanz says that only a
hero chosen by God may perform this task. He tells of the building of
the Castle of the Grail by Titurel, of Klingsor´s repudiation and
revenge, of the loss of the spear and Amfortas´ wound, and of the
divine prophecy that only a "pure fool", enlightened through
compassion, can save the king.
Suddenly, raised voices are heard from the direction of the lake. A
youth has fired an arrow at a swan circling above the water. The
knights bring the dead bird and the wrongdoer to Gurnemanz, who
chastises the naive youth. He is ashamed of what he has done and breaks
his bow. The stranger is Parsifal, who knows neither his own name nor
anything of his parents. He knows only that his mother is called
"Herzeleide" (Heart´s sorrow). Kundry explains that he is the son of
Gamuret who was killed in battle. Herzeleide had wanted to keep her son
from becoming a knight, and so had brought him up in a lonely wood. One
day, however, Parsifal saw two knights on horseback. He went after
them, leaving behind his mother who later died of a broken heart.
Gurnemanz believes that this is the "pure fool" of the prophecy. At
this point Kundry falls asleep as if overcome by some invisible power,
and Gurnemanz takes the young man to the Castle of the Grail.
The knights gather in the hall of the Castle for the ceremony of the
unveiling of the Grail. Amfortas is brought in. Titurel´s voice is
heard, as if from the grave. He is kept alive by regularly beholding
the Grail, and bids his son carry out his office. Amfortas tells of the
agony to which he must return after seeing the Grail, and beseeches his
father to unveil the Grail himself. However, Titurel and the knights
insist that the form of the ceremony be strictly adhered to. The Grail
is solemnly unveiled. The blood of Christ glows with a wondrous light
and the knights partake of the Lord´s supper. Amfortas is carried away,
overcome once more by terrible pain from his incurable wound. Parsifal
has watched the proceedings in complete silence. Gurnemanz assumes that
he was wrong in believing Parsifal to be the promised redeemer and
angrily dismisses the youth. A voice from on high repeats the prophecy.
Act Two – Winter
Sitting in his tower, Klingsor looks into a magic mirror and watches
Parsifal approach; in order to rob the youth of his purity, he conjures
up Kundry, who is in a trance-like state under his command. She had
mocked Christ as he hung dying on the cross, and was condemned to live
forever, carrying out her sentence as both the penitent servant of the
Grail and a seductress under Klingsor´s power. She longs for death and
redemption. These can be brought only by a man who is able to resist
her, but as yet all have succumbed to her charms, including Amfortas
himself. She mocks Klingsor´s enforced "chastity" and at first refuses
to bring ruin on the approaching Parsifal, but she is powerless to
resist her master´s command. When Parsifal reaches the castle, Klingsor
sends out the renegade knights of the Grail to meet him, but the young
man routs them all and descends into the garden.
There he meets the Flower Maidens, Klingsor´s creations, but he is not
distracted by their childish teasing. Kundry approaches, transformed
into a woman of magnificent beauty, and calls the young man by his name
for the first time. She dismisses the Flower Maidens and tells Parsifal
about his mother´s death. She offers the penitent and guilt-conscious
Parsifal "as a last token of mother´s blessing the first kiss of love"
in order to comfort him. Clasped in her arms Parsifal suddenly realises
how tragedy befell Amfortas; he even thinks he can feel the pain caused
by the spear wound. As foretold in the prophecy, "compassion" has
enlightened him, but he remains "pure" for he pushes Kundry aside. She
tells him of the curse and of her endless quest for redemption, which
she hopes to find in Parsifal´s embrace. Parsifal, however, refuses to
succumb and, having realised that it is he himself who has been chosen
to save the world of the Grail, instead asks her to show him the way to
Amfortas. Kundry curses him, saying that he shall never find the way,
and calls on Klingsor for help. Klingsor appears, and hurls the stolen
spear at Parsifal. But the relic cannot be used as a weapon against
Parsifal, and it comes to rest in the air above his head. Parsifal
seizes hold of it and makes the sign of the cross, whereupon Klingsor´s
castle and garden vanish. Parsifal sets out for the Grail.
Act Three – Spring
It is the morning of Good Friday. Gurnemanz, who is now living as a
hermit in a wood, finds Kundry in the forest undergrowth. She is nearly
dead, but slowly she comes to her senses. When she realises where she
is she begins to perform her tasks without saying a word. Gurnemanz is
astounded to see that she has changed into a quiet and humble creature.
An unknown knight suddenly appears, dressed in full armour. When
Gurnemanz hints that this apparel is not appropriate on a Holy Day, the
stranger lifts his visor. It is Parsifal who, after a long period of
wandering, is finally on his way to the Castle of the Grail. Gurnemanz
joyfully recognises the spear and hails Parsifal as the redeemer,
explaining that since the last unveiling ceremony Amfortas has refused
to reveal the Grail and has thus brought about the impoverishment of
the Brotherhood and the death of Titurel. However, Amfortas is now
repentant at what he has done and has decided to carry out his office
at the old king´s funeral. Kundry washes Parsifal´s feet and dries them
with her hair. Using water from the holy stream Gurnemanz washes all
guilt from Parsifal´s head and then anoints him new king of the Grail.
His first task as king is to baptise Kundry. Parsifal remarks on the
beauty of the meadows which are bedecked with spring flowers. Gurnemanz
explains the "Good Friday magic", which causes even the natural world
to rejoice at Christ´s redemption of man. The midday bell is heard,
announcing the funeral ceremony at the Castle of the Grail. Parsifal
takes up the spear and follows Gurnemanz and Kundry.
The knights of the Grail assemble in the Great Hall. Shaken and
penitent, Amfortas beseeches his dead father to intercede with God on
his behalf. The knights press him to reveal the Grail, but he refuses
and asks them to kill him instead. At this point Parsifal enters and
closes Amfortas´ wound with a touch of the spear. A white dove descends
from on high and hovers above Parsifal´s head. Kundry has found
redemption. |
