Bulgaria Wagner, Parsifal: Soloists, Dancers, Chorus and Orchestra of Sofia Opera and Ballet / Constantin Trinks (conductor). Sofia Opera and Ballet Theatre, 25.7.2023. (GT)
Parsifal is the sixth opera of Richard Wagner to be produced at the Sofia Opera by Plamen Kartaloff in his mission to develop a Wagnerian tradition in Bulgaria. First staged in 2015, the preparation for the opera was assisted by Richard Trimborn, who himself collaborated with Karajan, Kleiber and Sawallisch in staging Wagner operas on the world’s finest stages.
Kartaloff explains his vision of Wagner’s final masterwork, ‘I place the action of this sacred Wagner drama outside the time and place of the specificity, Parsifal, a mystical action that reflects the endless life circle including birth, life, death, and reincarnation. The acting in this Sacred Festival Drama combines these symbols of all religions, however different they may be, with the power of good and the need for faith in something important and predestined. To overcome evil, to believe in the salvation of the soul of man, to observe the holy covenant of men with God is the most important necessity and will be provide a convincing power for man, whatever religion one professes.
The state of nirvana for Wagner’s heroes is the belief in the reincarnation of the soul from the earthly to the miraculous. As if illuminated by rays, the light of distant stars reaches some of them (Kundry) simultaneously in the past, present and the future. The entry of the abstract into the real, the space in time, the connection of Kundry’s soul with Parsifal’s body, the path of her transforming soul into an image. This enters Parsifal’s image and they part, but also belong to each other, coming together in an existence of their own. Interestingly present in the drama here is the phenomenon of déjà vu, “I have already seen in my thoughts.”’
Kartaloff believes that ‘the main character, Parsifal, is above everything and everyone, beyond the existing anxieties and sufferings of the other characters. He is naïve and opposed to all and existing things, the real and the ideal belongs to them. Thus the meaning and the secret of the feast of the sacrament can only be revealed to those who are called upon to serve it. Parsifal is a mystery of parallel worlds.’
Thomas Mann wrote, ‘Parsifal is a great miracle, a work unmatched as knowledge and incarnation of the farthest, scary and sacred worlds … A work full of sounds that leave you anxious, curious and enchanted again and again.’ Claude Debussy wrote of the opera, ‘Nowhere in Wagner’s music is a more serene beauty attained than in the Prelude to the third act of Parsifal and the entire Good Friday episode.’
Following the gorgeously performed Prelude, it was clear the orchestra has notably improved since the Ring cycle under the baton of Constantin Trinks. The first scene of Act I opened to show an enchanting picture of blues and greens as if we are in a woody glade conveyed with light projections against the drapes through which the different characters emerged and left. The Gurnemanz of Angel Hristov entered attired in a simple white garb which is common throughout almost all of the cast. Hristov has a deeply resonant bass voice carrying all the weight of his authority. Following his monologue, the wounded Amfortas entered on a wheeled chariot carried by the Knights of the Grail. Suddenly, Kundry dramatically entered dressed in a costume of rags and with wild hair. Gergana Rusekova quickly revealed that she has a splendidly vibrant mezzo-soprano voice, combined with outstanding acting, and the lyric baritone of Atanas Mladenov’s Amfortas portrayed all the terrible plight of his character in a deeply moving characterisation. An enormously successful device was the projection against the backdrop of the ghostly figures of the knights as they were in prayer or singing. The lighting of Andrej Hajdinjak and the laser animation by Michael Sollinger was highly effective in illuminating the stage action throughout the performance.
The entry of the knights and the squires was overwhelmingly powerful as they slowly made their way on stage against the steady accompaniment of the superb orchestral playing. Gurnemanz’s narration of the tale of the Holy Spear and the Holy Grail led to the story of the hero Titurel, the father of Amfortas, and of Klingsor and his dark arts, and the magic garden where maidens enchant the knights away from the holy order.
The Parsifal of Kostadin Andreev appeared in the background as the foolish knight wandering around wondering what is going on. Suddenly the wounded swan throws himself to the ground followed by Parsifal in a striking picture of youthful innocence. The charms of Kundry now tells him of his backstory. In the change to scene two, the transformation passage is marvellously performed by the orchestra under Trinks and the castle scene is movingly dramatic as the knights bring in the grail which is an angular wooden box containing the sacred object. Petar Buchkov’s Titurel is heard from off stage, ‘Mein Sohn Amfortas, bist du am Amt?’ Shamed by his terrible fate, Amfortas sings ‘Wehvolles Erbe, dem ich verfallen’. In begging forgiveness, he uncovers the Grail and the knights, and squires raise their vessels to the sky as the scene becomes transformed with bright rays descending in a powerful scene of worship with exquisite heavenly voices from above, ‘Nehmet hin meinen Leib’. Again this scene is immensely powerfully enacted through the lighting projection of spectres moving across the stage, and eventually the tortured Amfortas is led away and the choral singing of ‘Wein und Brot des letzten Mahles’ is serenely moving prior to Parsifal being sent off to learn more about what he had just witnessed.
In Act II, Klingsor’s castle is a metal structure decorated by strip lighting, and from the battlements, Veselin Mihaylov’s Klingsor summons Kundry, ‘Dein Meister ruft; herauf!’ Rusekova’s Kundry is dressed more stylishly, and she is told to seduce Parsifal so he may reclaim the Grail. In a well-enacted fight scene, Klingsor’s knights are in combat with Parsifal who defeats them with ease, and in a well-arranged transition, the castle is replaced by a scarlet red cushion where the flower maidens engage in vigorous activity with men in this garden of delights. Dismissing the young men, Kundry beguiles the young fool Parsifal by singing of life’s joys and of other enticements. She is now in a beautifully seductive red and black costume. The scene closes dramatically with Klingsor throwing the spear at Parsifal, who catches it in a miraculous moment of thunder.
The resplendent strings of the orchestra introduce the first scene of Act III, where we see the aged and weary Gurnemanz ‘Von dorther kam das Stöhnen’ while Kundry is lying lifelessly in a long white smock. He pitilessly drags her up, yet she sings willingly, ‘Dienen … Dienen!’ and suddenly Parsifal appears dressed in armour with the spear. Admonished for bringing arms on Easter Sunday, Gurnemanz realises it is indeed he, the fool who has returned. Parsifal sings, ‘Heil mir, dass ich dich wiederfinde!’ Recognising the saviour has arrived in the person of Parsifal, Gurnemanz rejoices that he can perform the healing with the spear on Amfortas, ‘O Gnade! Höchstes Heil!’ As midday approaches, in a wonderful scene, The knights arrive and – in an intensely enacted passage – encircle Amfortas with the now opened grail. As Parsifal and Kundry enter with the spear raised Amfortas gets miraculously cured, ‘Sei heil, entsündigt und gesühnt!’ Parsifal takes his place at the centre, lifting the spear to the heavens as magical rays beam down on the worshippers and there is the glorious celebratory climax.
This was a fine production true to the composer’s vision; traditional methods were combined with innovative technology allowing the audience to appreciate the narrative and the singing together with the marvellous orchestral picture. The scenic beauty of the sets, and the vibrant colours of both costumes combined with outstanding singing and acting ensured this revival was another success for Sofia Opera.
Of the singers, the most outstanding was Atanas Mladenov’s Amfortas with his eloquent singing and supreme acting, the Gurnemanz of Angel Hristov was deeply convincing with his portrayal and with a voice to match. The Kundry of Gergana Rusekova was world-class in both singing and characterisation – every word was clear and beautiful at times when revealing her plight and in other scenes of her lustful desire. The title role of Parsifal was magnificently characterised by Kostadin Andreev, yet again playing the fool who gains manhood and maturity at the end of a challenging operatic masterpiece. And most of all, the chorus and orchestra were outstanding in presenting a superb musical accompaniment to Wagner’s masterpiece.
Gregor Tassie
Production:
Director – Plamen Kartaloff
Musical and Stylistic preparation – Richard Trimborn
Set designer – Sven Jonke
Assistant Set designer – Ivana Jonke
Costumes – Stanka Vauda
Lighting designer – Andrej Hajdinjak
Laser animation – Michael Sollinger
Video design – Catherine Krasimirova
Assistant Director – Vera Beleva
Chorus director – Violeta Dimitrova
Stage fighting – Kamen Ivanov
Cast:
Parsifal – Kostadin Andreev
Amfortas – Atanas Mladenov
Gurnemanz – Angel Hristov
Kundry– Gergana Rusekova
Klingsor – Veselin Mihaylov
Titurel – Petar Buchkov
First Knight of the Grail – Hrisimir Damyanov
Second Knight of the Grail – Nikolay Voynov
First Squire – Rada Toteva
Second Squire – Ina Kalinova
Third Squire – Krasimir Dinev
Fourth Squire – Kalin Dushkov
Voice from Above – Vesela Yaneva
Flower maidens – Lyubov Metodieva, Ayla Dobreva, Ina Kalinova, Yuliana Katinova-Petrova, Angelina Mancheva, Alexandrina Stoyanova-Andreeva
The wounded swan – Nikola Arnaudov
Klingsor’s Dark Knights – Georgi Banchev, Simeon Atanasov, Deyan Ivanov, Dario Yovchevski, Teodor Vodenicharov, Ivan Georgiev, Georgi Asparuhov, Matthew Whittle