Magnificent Music however Dubious Direction in Wagner’s Parsifal at Glyndebourne | Theatre | Entertainment | EUROtoday

This was the primary time Glyndebourne had staged Parsifal and so they supplied 5 hours of very good singing and superior orchestral taking part in. Sadly, the potential influence was diminished by too many well-intentioned modifications to the plot launched by the Dutch director Jetske Mijnssen, which typically made what was already an elaborate plot often unintelligible. I strongly suspect that Richard Wagner wouldn’t have accepted.

The story, as Wagner wrote it, was primarily based on a mix of European myths in regards to the Knights of the Holy Grail. Parsifal is the harmless hero who has the duty of discovering and returning to the knights the spear that pierced the physique of Christ. Only a contact from that spear can treatment the knights’ chief Amfortas from the always bleeding wound he acquired from the sorcerer Klingsor. The wild and mysterious girl Kundry additionally clearly has a job to play in her position as a messenger of the Knights, however it’s not but clear what that position might be.

Like all good myths, that is mystical and sophisticated, however Mijnssen’s makes an attempt to de-mystify and humanise it are likely to confuse. First, Amfortas and Klingsor are portrayed as long-lost brothers, maybe to assist relate them to the story of Cain and Abel which can also be added to this model of the story. The mystical spear has, for some purpose, been lowered to a small dagger, whereas nonetheless being known as a spear, and the query of who will grow to be King of the Grail Knights appears fairly like a household squabble. Worst of all, the Knights of the Grail, dressed like clergymen, are seen incongruously descending on Parsifal and beating him up when he’s expelled from their presence.

All this confusion made the primary act fairly unsatisfying, however the second act made up for it with some magnificent singing in a less complicated situation dominated by Kundry (fantastically sung by German mezzo-soprano Kristina Stanek), Klingsor (American bass-baritone Ryan Speedo Green) and Parsifal himself (Swedish tenor Daniel Johansson). All three demonstrated voices of immense energy when wanted, but in addition displaying refined emotion when known as for.

The second act additionally included the perfect contact from the director in displaying all of the refrain of flower maidens as Kundry lookalikes, which gave a a lot wanted injection of humour into the heavy drama. Though once more I’m not certain what this was supposed to imply. More confusion returned within the closing act, when reconciliation or redemption was achieved, although the simultaneous look of young and old variations of Klingsor and Kundry was additionally a little bit bemusing.

Apart from these talked about above, two different distinctive performances deserve reward: 78-year-old English bass John Tomlinson was gloriously efficient because the aged Grail King Titurel, whereas Canadian bass John Relyea sang the demanding position of senior Knight Gurnemanz in vastly spectacular method. This position is by far the longest within the opera, involving round 90 minutes of singing, however Relyea’s highly effective voice by no means flagged when narrating the story. The best reward of all, nonetheless, deserves to go to the London Philharmonic Orchestra offering 5 hours of Wagner’s superb music below their conductor Robin Ticciati. Sublime singing of magnificent music produced by an superior orchestra. But as I mentioned, the route was dodgy.

Parsifal is taking part in at Glyndebourne on numerous dates till 24 June.

Box Office and particulars: 01273 815000