The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1903-12-19

| as the wicked Vaccinations by which
! Amfortas was betrayed!
| In final rage Kundry reveals to him
the fact that it was Klingsor who
wounded Amfortas and with the sac
| red spear. Then she calls for help,
/ and Klingsor appears bearing the
spear and accompanied by his band
! of sirens. He hurls the lance at Par
| sifal, but it remains floating in the
air suspended over the young mans
head. Parsifal grasps it, saying:
With this good symbol l ward on thy
magic,
AS the wound it shall close.
That with it once thou clavest,
In wreck and in ruin
Perish this treacherous pride!
He swings the spear about, making
the sign of the cross, whereupon the
castle falls in ruin. The flower girls
"wither," as Wagner puts it, and Kun
dry sinks to the earth. Standing on
the ruined wall, Parsifal turns and ad-
| dresses Kundry:
'Knowest we'll
o, Kundry, where thou canst find me
again."
He disappears and the act ends.
The third act shows us the edge of
a forest on a spring morning. A hut,
the habitation of the now aged Gurne-
knight is drawn out by the sound of
moaning, and going to a thicket dis
covers Kundry lying there clad in the
garb of penitent, but cold and stiff.
He revives her and she at once sets
about doing such work as she can find,
muttering: Service. service!" She is
no longer wild, but seems wholly
changed. Presently Parsifal clad in
black armop and with the visor of his
helmet closed, arrives upon the scene.
At first he will not speak and Gurpe-
MANI is veXed, but in a moment the
young man plants the sacred spear
which he is carrying in the earth, re-
moves his helmet and kneels before
the lance in prayer.
GurnemanZ is deeply moved when he
sees who 1t is, and his heart is touched
with new hope for Amfortas. Par
sifal narrates his adventures, telling
how he has wandered far and wide and
fought in many battles, but has never
welded the sacred spear. Now he be-
lieves that he has been sent to re-
store Amfortas. Gurnemanz tells him
how the King has refused more to
unveil the Grail, yet hopes for death
as his release. Parsifal is filled with
anguish and nearly faints.
He is led to the spring near by and
Kundry laves his feet. Gurnemanz, at
Parsifals request, baptizes him. Kun
~ RAO0NNCo a hleiAg llOIli WIllNH SDe
anoinits Parsifaps feet, and again at
his request, Gurnemanz from the same
vial anoints his head. Gurnemanz tells
Parsifal that he is the pure fool des-
tined to redeem the King, and Parsi-
fal, scooping some water from the
spring, sprinkles Kundry's head, say
ing:
MY first high function thus be done
Be thou baptized
And trust in the Redeemer.'
And then this laughter-cursed wom-
an weeps bitterly. eParsifal asks Cur
nemanz what day it is, and learns that
it is Good Friday. 1t is at this point
that the Good Friday music, so fa-
miliar in concert rooms, reaches it's
climax. Parsifal kisses Kundry on
the brow and tells her that her tears
are blessed. Parsifal is then arrayed
in mantle of a knight of the Grail
and the three start for Monsalvat.
Again there is gradual change of
scene, and the great hall of the Grail
is once more revealed. A body of
knights bring in the body of Titurel in
coffin. Amfortas is borne forward
in his litter and the Grail in it's shrine.
The knights proclaim that Titurel has
gone to his rest, and that Amfortas
will this day perform his Office as
Grail Warder for the last time.
Amfortas prays before the coffin of
his father. He bewails his sin and
begs Titurel to intercede for him with
Christ. The knights press round him
and cry: "Unveil the Grail!" Amfortas,
like Tristan in the last act of Iris
tan und Isolde" becomes frenzied, and
shows the open wound. He begs the
knights to plunge their swords into it
| and set him free in death. All shink
back from him, while Parsifal, accom-
panied by Gurnemanz and Kundry,
comes quietly forward. Parsifal
| stretches out the spear and touches the
| wound, saying:
| One weapon only serves:
| The wound shall close
| To the spear that brought his woes.
/ Amfortas seems to fill with rapture
and totters, while Gurnemanz sup
ports him. Parsifal continues:
Be whole forgiven and absolved!
BY me thy office now be wrought!
o blessing On thy sorrows,
That mercy's marvelled power
And wisdom's purest dover
The timid fool have brought,
The sacred spear
/ here to you restore.
All gaze upon the spear with rap
, ture. Parsifal continues in ecstasy:
| s Oh mighty marvel's highest store!
That l thy grievous wound could
close,
From which the sacred blood out
| flows,
And yearning seeks the fountain
| glowing.
There in the Grail for ever, ever
flowing!
| No longer hid the wondrous sign;
| Unveil the Grail! open the shrine!
The shrine is opened and Parsifal
takes from it the Grail, before which
| he sinks in prayer. Kundry sinks
expiring, while from the dome are
heard voices, barely audible, chant
ing: ~.
20 heavenly mercy's marvel redemp-
ton to the Redeemer!"
This is the story of Richard Wag.
shall be said in future comments in
pose is to put before the reader a sue
which is about to be enacted and suns
for the first time outside of Beyreuth
No reader who desires to listen intel.
ligently to the coming performances
should content himself with this out.
line. He should possess himself of the
text of Wagner and read it carefully
and often.
1t is an absolute requirement of in.
telligent attendance at the perform.
ance of any Wagner drama that the
auditor should know precisely what is
being said and done on the stage. Wag.
| ner'S music iS M TnvSfayxy NOS 4. 4,