Los Angeles herald., 1905-03-12

BELAsCO-"Tom Moore"
tTRBANK-"Mizpah."
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES.
GRAND-"Nettie the NewsgrL"
CHUTEs-Ellery' band. Zoo.
IT is becoming evident that the Par
sifal" craze which for so long has
i affected the east is about to break
out in Los Angeles. 1t Is difficult to
predict how long the fever will run,
but IL is safe that 1t will reach its
height on the arrival of the grand
opera company which is advertised to
sing this masterpiece of Wagner's next
month at Temple auditorium. In this
performance Los Angeles will see the
original production, against which
Madame Wagner directed all her en-
erges in the hopes of preventing 1t.
It promises to be an operate and dra-
matte event of greater Importance than
anything offered in this city for years.
The incipient stage of the fever will
attack Los Angeles March 20, when the
Belasco company will open a weeks
engagement in the dramatic version of
"Parsifal." There are many people
who are going to welcome this occasion
to learn what it is all about" before
the arrival of the opera. The Belasco
people have already begun this course
of instruction by printing in their al
legged weekly newspaper the following
interesting story of Richard Wagner's
work:
I'm the castle of Montsalvat In the
n, L. he Grail
the sacred vessel in which was caught
the blood of the Savior upon the cross.
This cup is guarded by the Knights of
the Grail, whose chief is Amfortas. In
the valley dwells Klngsor the ma
gician, who, because of his sinful life,
has been denied admission to the band
of knights He seks to destroy them.
In his magic garden he has assembled
a bevy of wanton beauties. Amfortas
once yielded to their Establishments,
and the sacred spear, with which the
Savior was wounded on the cross, was
taken from him. Amfortas was wound
ed by it and only a touch from it can
cure its hurt. Now the lance is in the
possession of Klingsor. 1t can only be
recovered by a 'guileless fool, enlight-
ened by pity Such a one appears in
the person of Parsifal, who, through
ignorance, kills a sacred swan. He is
taken to the castle to witness the un-
yelling Of the Grail and the celebration
of the sacred supper. He views it stu
pidly and is cast forth.
''In the second act Parsifal ap-
proaches Klingsor's castle. The ma
gician summons Kundry, a curious wo-
man of great beauty who is faithful to
the knights when she is herself, but
strives for their destruction when un-
der Klingsor's spell. She Is ordered
to tempt Parsifal. The latter does not
comprehend the advances of the beau
tiful women why ply seductive arts,
but Kundry moves him. He is about
to yield, but is enlightened as to his
sacred duty. He casts off the temp
tress. Klingsor. enraged at the failure
of the plot, hurls at him the sacred
spear. The weapon pauses miraculous
ly in midair. Parsifal seizes it and
makes the sign of the cross. Instantly
the scene of beauty and revelry is
transformed to one of destruction and
desolation.
MANY years elapse before the third
act. 1t is Good Friday. Kundry, in
the garb of a penitent, comes to serve
at the hut of old Gurnemanz, the her
nit. Parsifal arrives, clad in black
armor, with visor closed and bearing
ie,
to Montsalvat and heal Amfortas, who,
hoping for release from suffering
through death, no longer unveils the
Grail, and without it's comforting
power is wasting away Kundry
bathes the feet of Parsifal and both
turn to the temple, where the knights
are making vain appeal to Amfortas
to once more uncover the Grail, and
he implores them to kill him. Parsifal
touches Amfortas with the spear and
heals his wound. Parsifal is acknowl-
edged as the new king of the Grail.
All kneel in homage before him. Kun
dry finds freedom from sin in death.
"'Parsifal' is a pictorial sermon. 1t
calls up out of the past conception
of sin, it's punishment and it's absolu
ton. The whole atmosphere of the
drama is medieval and from medieval
literature Wagner obtained the mate
rial for it. The legends of the quest
of the Holy Grail have become incor-
porated into the folklore of many
lands"