Parsifal

Richard Wagner’s musical testament – denigrated by the philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche, who heard in it ‘Rome’s faith without words’, but acclaimed by others, who saw it as the ultimate rite of the ‘religion of art’ – has lost none of its mystery. Whatever message is conveyed by the myth of the ‘pure fool’ who, armed only with his naivety, goes in search of the Holy Grail, this score remains one of the most captivating and sophisticated in the history of opera. Without diminishing its ritual dimension, a concert version will offer a different way of discovering the genius of this work, which is the culmination of Wagner’s vision of the ‘Gesamtkunstwerk’ (total work of art), a reinvention of the ancient Greek tragedy. With the help of excellent singers and the La Monnaie Symphony Orchestra, conducted by our Music Director, Alain Altinoglu, this production of Wagner’s cathartic work will be a genuine musical celebration worthy of a ‘Bühnenweihfestspiel’!