Wagner: Parsifal by Hans Knappertsbusch (2023 Remastered, Bayreuth 1962)

In the time of Richard Wagner, lyric opera was largely oriented toward entertainment. With Parsifal, Wagner endowed the theater with a dignity and expressive force comparable to that of ancient Greek drama. Parsifal is a liturgy, and the work presents itself as such, even including the ritual—desired by Wagner himself—that forbids applause at the end of the first act. Wagnerians regard the work as a kind of Mass, and its subtitle is in fact “sacred stage festival play” (Bühnenweihfestspiel).

Whether or not one is receptive to the Wagnerian “religion,” one cannot remain indifferent to the musical grandeur and the expressive depth of the architecture unfolded in Parsifal. Hans Knappertsbusch long appeared as a guardian of the temple—and the word “temple” is used deliberately here, since Wagner originally conceived Parsifal solely for Bayreuth, that temple erected to his glory and deemed the only place worthy of such a celebration. One must acknowledge that an added emotion seizes anyone who hears Parsifal in the very theater for which it was conceived.

Naturally, rather than a studio recording, a live performance from Bayreuth is preferable to any other—and the 1962 performance, conducted by Hans Knappertsbusch, is among the most monumental achievements. It is also one of the last times Knappertsbusch took the podium to conduct Parsifal after more than a decade of reign.

Hans Knappertsbusch (who wrote a thesis on the role of Kundry) is indeed the great interpreter of Parsifal in Bayreuth. His interpretations of Wagner are marked by a majestic, reverent solemnity and belong directly to the tradition of the old school of the Bayreuth veteran Hans Richter, under whom the young Knappertsbusch served as assistant conductor at the Bayreuth Festivals between 1910 and 1912. His conducting is characterized by very slow, solemn tempi that create a sacralized atmosphere rising to a kind of mystical radiance.

In this drama of suffering and asceticism, everything in this recording feels like an ultimate culmination: Wagner’s final work, and the final performances of unique artists in roles they marked forever (Hotter, London, Neidlinger). This “old guard,” like the aged squire Gurnemanz, surrounds and initiates into the sacred mystery two young American artists who in no way detract from such an ensemble (notably the deeply moving Parsifal of Jess Thomas). The choruses, which play a crucial role here, are truly exceptional and absolutely sumptuous. One cannot fail to be struck by the grandeur of this Parsifal. It is the only version of this opera I have listened to in a single sitting without once being able to pull myself away from my seat. I wish you the same kind of metaphysical experience.

Enjoy your listening