The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-03-26
THE PARSIFAL. !"
Legend of the Great Religious
Opera Outlined.
Founded on the Traditions of
the Holy Grail.
MASTERPIECE
Left to Posterity Music That
Will Live.
Six Characters of Importance
in the Drama.

in the Drama.
When you consider that the patrons
of the Metropolitan opera house, New
York city, who witnessed "ParsifaI'
were in their seats when the curtain
went up at p. M, remained until 6
p. m, returned at 8, and saw the end
or the performance at 1890, you viii
have some idea how hard it is to give
a DfleI and feasible outline of Wag-
ner's masterpiece. Wagner construct
ed the story OF Parsifal on the legend
of the Holy Grail. All readers are ac-
quainted with Tennyson's "Idylls of
the King" the KNIGHTS of the Round
Table and the Holy Grail" Sir Gala
had, to Tennyson's readers, is the
ideal Knight of the Holy Grail. Early
tradition tells US that the Holy Grail
was handed down from Noah: that
Abraham possessed it, and that later
it was carried to Egypt by the Chill
dren of Israel St. Veronica then gave
it to the Disciples to be used at the
Last Supper, An English tradition is
! that St Joseph of Arinathea had been
one of Pilates soldiers, and had been
given permission to remove the body
of our Savior from the cross: in doing
so a few drops of the Savior's blood
had fallen into the cup. We are told
that st. Joseph was sent by Titus 10
convert the paganS of England. He
left the holy cup and spear in the care
of the famous Cathedral of Glasto0-
bury. England, where they remained
for years after oJSeph of Arimathea
death, till taken away by an angel
+ from heaven.
Shretien de Troyes, of France, tells
another story, and SO does Wolfram
/ Won Eschenbach of Germany, but all
more or less similar. Wagner was
great student and reader, and fond of
I legendary lore and mythical stories.
having delVed into everything pertain
/ ing to the legend of the Holy Grail,
and, seeing its value, constructed u
! composite legend to suit his purpose.
/ Certain it is, however, he has given
! us a beautiful story, and, combined
with his mastery music has left 10
| posterity a wealth that will live and
| shine wherever Christianity reigns aaj
as long as Christianity endures- The
| situation leading up to the beginning
of the play is that on a remote peak
! of the Pyrenees Mountains, in Spain.
called Montsalvat, there stood pow
erfuI castle built by King Titurei,
which was regarded as a safe sanctu-
airy for the keeping of the Holy Grail
and Sacred Spear The sacred relics
had been placed for safekeeping by a
/ heavenly messenger in the care OF
King sTiturel, who had gathered around
him a body of noble knights, and TO
this community only the pure in heart
\ were admitted. On the other side of
+ the mountains lived one klingsor, who,
having sinned, thought TO gain forgive
ness by joining the knights OF the
Holy Grail. Having failed, he listened
to the evil spirit, and from him re-
ceived the power of magic for evil
purposes. Many had fallen his victims.
Titurel, becoming aged, had yielded
his crown to his son Amfortas. who,
being enraged at klingsor for entrap-
ping the knights. went forth to destroy
KHngsor, taking the Sacred Spear
with him. He overeStimated his
strength and fell a victim to Klingsor' S
chief instrument of temptation, the
! enchantreSS 'Kundry.
This woman had fallen under king
sor's spell, and during magic sleep
imposed upon her by him, was com
PEELED to obey his commands When
used against Amfortas she had been
transformed by Klingsor into woman
of transcendent beauty.
And one of ParsifaPS greatest strug-
giles is shown in the scene with kundry
In the flower garden She tries to APP
| peal to him by referring to his mothers
love. and leads him to believe that he
wounded and finally killed her by his
negligence. The temptress had chosen
well; she had. for a time. touched the
KEYNOTE of the heart of the guileless, in
nocent Parsifal And when he cries out
in grief, lamenting the pain and sorrow
he has caused his mother. Kundry takes
advantage of his condition and kisses
him, as if in sympathy The last kiss
->---
of love-
For a moment Parsifal trembled in
the balance. but remembering Am
fortas and the wound. he was saved
The kiss of Kundry had revealed to him
! the source of human sin. and the provo
cation of divine sorrow. and SO to the
end, although at times sorely tried
Parsifal trampled temptation, and is
finally pronounced king and guardian OF
the Holy Grail. Klingsor obtained pos
session of the Sacred Spear, and with
it wounded Amfortas in the side, which
no remedy could ever heal. Amfortas
returned to the castle OF MontsaIyai
without the spear and with a knowledge
of his sin. which hurt him more thar
the wound in his side.
When, in his priestly Office, he was
compelled to uncover the Holy Grail
his mental and physical torture was ter
rible During one of these ceremonies
when repentant suffering and begging
the Savior for forgiveness. the knights
heard voice of prophecy from heaven,
which spoke these words:
by pity enlightened
The stainless fool:
Wait for him.
Ny chosen one"
And so they lived and waited for de
liverer-Parsifali There are six person
ages of importance in the drama. each
more or less a symbolism of good o.
evil
the Holy Grail, is a type of the colder
age OF Faith
KIingsor, the magician. disqualified b.
sin, in revenge. seeks to destroy al
others.
Amfortas, the unworthy guardian Of
the Holy Grail, is easily Hkened TO sui
fering humanity. and all caused by sin
Curnemanz. the faithful servitor 0
the Holy Grail. can wen be taken as
type of constancy and devotion to duty
and meeting in the end its just reward
Kundry the witch. enchantress AM
penitent, is a type of no one person, bu
represents. in her make UP, the com
pound of the good and evil element
common to all humanity. She is tn