The arrival at the green hill has something, or a lot, of a pilgrimage that begins in the most varied and remote places in the world, each tracing its own path. The only section shared by all the “pilgrims” of the Wagnerian cause It is the straight line that rises gently through lush vegetation from the last houses in the city centre of the small town in northern Bavaria to the Festspielhaus.
It is a theatre and a festival that no longer has any particularities, which make it a unique space: built from an idea of a certain austerity, according to Wagner’s own designs and financed by the coffers of the State of Bavaria which was then reigned by Louis II, it was inaugurated in 1876 precisely with the parsifal opera. Its large stalls are already a declaration of intent by the factotum of all this: without boxes, it recalls Greek theaters with the pronounced inclination, perfect for a total view of the stage for the approximately 1,900 spectators. The wooden seats, so to speak, with a backrest that ends in the middle of the backrest, are legendarily uncomfortable, which is why they keep the body rigid and tense during the four hours that this Parsifal lasts, avoiding any trace of relaxation. The original flooring of the room, dating from the end of the 19th century, is also special. 19th centuryon which the audience traditionally clicks when the performance deserves it and the applause and cheers are insufficient. Anyone who wants to follow the script on a screen will find his desire frustrated since everyone here comes instructed. The deep and dark orchestra pit, partially covered by a shell that prevents the spectator’s eye from being distracted by the movements of the conductor and the musicians of the orchestra, deserves a separate chapter. Even this was designed by Wagner. A pit from which it is very complex to conduct since the connection of the her with the singers is especially complicatedYet it is part of the acoustic miracle that is this hall, which, unless I am mistaken, has never been imitated in other theatres in the world. The particular and enveloping sound is not particularly pleasant but the ear gets used to it in a few minutes and adapts. Although we know where the voices are projected, with admirable clarity, the orchestral sound, if we close our eyes, we could conclude that it comes from any part of the large hall or, perhaps, from all of them at the same time.
Another peculiarity is that there is no central aisle and the thirty rows extend from one end to the other, so it gives a feeling of disorder like in no other theatre and the heat and the feeling of pressure are inevitable. As is commonly said, only in the event of a medical emergency can a spectator force his entire line to get up to leave, or be removed from it before finishing the act. In this regard, it is an anecdote from my function that this has happened up to four times since they had to be evacuated in the first act in which, among other things, we are told about Amfortas’ “wound that never heals”. The director offers us a close-up projected on the entire back of the stage of a real surgical operation during which a wound is sutured. This led to several protests from the population and the evacuation of those affected. All this in admirable Germanic order and silence. The breaks of almost an hour are long enough to easily stock up on supplies in the nearby restaurants and brasseries. Although the vast majority consists of the most varied forms of etiquette, you can see all kinds of “outfits”, some even really personal, or even downright extravagant.
From the scene signed by Jay Scheibset in a dystopian world of overexploitation of nature, alternates between successful and less happy moments thanks to a remarkable staging by actors, of course, generally provided with forgettable costumes. Otherwise, there are no particularly awkward moments and the resource of projecting the action on a large screen at the back of the stage is interesting (as happened recently in a Magic Flute at the Palau de les Arts) which allows to penetrate more into the setting. space and perceive details that go unnoticed by us. Without a doubt, the most innovative is the use by the spectators of some 3D glasses. Apparently I was one of the selected ones and I must say that as a future technology it could have interesting possibilities, even if the ergonomics of the gadgets in this production are not the best possible. However, perhaps in the near future it will serve to enrich what happens on stage, even if in this specific production the technological idea has not shown any really memorable achievements either. An interesting moment, for example, was the arrival of the swan literally flight across the audience, at least for those of us who wore glasses shortly before being fatally pierced by Parsifal’s arrow. Perhaps the most dynamic act is the second with an attractive and colorful scene of the bridesmaids.
The room is enveloped in almost total space darknessthere is silence, we assume that the Spanish conductor is present in the pit where the musicians are waiting for him, even if we never see them because of what we said before. The strings sing directly the famous and ethereal phrase from the beginning of the prelude and the moment is more typical of a celebration than of an opera performance. Regarding the first Parsifal in 2023, which I was able to hear last year on the Bavarian Radio broadcast and later thanks to the recording that Deutsche Gramophone has just released, second milestone by the Spanish director after his festival debut, Parsifal de Heras Casadeither gradually becomes more transparent, refined and full of details, many of which are huge lyricism. A breathing staging, with the expressive silences that the work requires, deep and authentic and with truly moving moments such as the Music of the Transformation, the chorus that follows and all the Incantations of Good Friday until the end of the work. Parsifal is that opera in which many things dissolve, including time, and therefore the perception of a performance is somehow “global” and the sensations complex to convert into words. This gives the impression that in the direction of Heras-Casado everything becomes more and more essential through an evident excavation in the score and what is behind it and thus achieving, thanks to the use of an infinity of dynamics, the miracle of constituting an inseparable whole. with the voicewhich, in Parsifal, is musically part of his mysteryThe man from Granada, as could not be otherwise, was entertained, at the time of the greetings, by one of the great ovations of the afternoon, shouting and stamping, both when he went out alone and when he did so with the musicians of the fabulousorchestra of the festival who, being hidden from the public at all times, are allowed to dress as if they were from home. An orchestra that demonstrated a capacity for concentration and response to the maestro’s instructions, truly commendable. Fabulous the woodsthe sensational rope and some metals from another world. The participants in this last performance of the festival had the opportunity – a little sad – to attend the last performance in Bayreuth of the great choirmaster Eberhard Friedrich. What can be said about this impressive choral formation that is the festival choir, whose future is somewhat uncertain, and this in the first and third acts.
Voices to remember
As for the vocal distribution, the quartet, if we add Klingsor– He was thrilled at the performance on August 24. Parsifal is a role whose demands are perhaps a point below Tristan and Siegfried in terms of the performances it requires, but it is fraught with pitfalls since it is not enough just to have a heroic tenor of real strength but must also demonstrate remarkable lyrical vision. In this sense, it is admirable to see how this happens Andreas Schager at this closing performance of the festival knowing that Parsifal alternates with none other than Tristan. Quite a tour de force. We can’t give him just one but the Austrian tenor shows courage, without artifice, a commendable, irresistible freshness, an undeniable power when the score demands it and also nuances in the regulation of the most varied dynamics. Perhaps nature has not given him the most beautiful instrument on the planet, but each of his interventions is worth gold for Wagnerian authenticity, and this is how the most demanding fans reward him. Schager is loved unconditionally, without dispute, for his singing in the true sense of the word, his phrasing and for his incontestable charisma on stage. Maintains the type, and in what way, the Russian mezzo Ekaterina Gubanovawho, like Schager, gives his all without artifice or artifice, in addition to possessing a dramatic vision that elevates his Kundry even more, one of the most complex roles in lyric literature. Nor is he a Meier in terms of beauty of the instrument, but he compensates for certain shortcomings with a performance that captivates us, plunging the entire theater into delirium, especially at the end of the formidable second act in an unforgettable way on the part of the two protagonists.
Without a doubt, if there was an Apollonian song, the Low German one was excellent in every way. Georg Zeppenfeld whose art of singing is inspired by the historical Gurnemanzes who have been performing at this theatre for over a century. In addition to embodying a knight of the Grail who is absolutely ideal from a dramatic point of view due to the internalisation he develops, his ring exhibitions beauty in fits and starts, the beauty of a song that reaches with crystal clarity to the far corner of the room. One can only hope that Zeppenfeld will continue in this vocal state for many more years. The room literally collapsed when it was his turn to say hello. The American baritone Jordan Shanahan he vocally composes an ideal Klingsor by means of an excellent natural emission and by the troubled rather than sinister character of his characterization, in Scheib’s theatrical idea. In addition, Derek Welton He stars in a nuanced Amfortas, flawless in his declamatory phrasing. Finally, Low German Tobias Kehrer Far from representing an elderly Tirurel with a voice worn out by age, it shows an instrument of great presence, young in perfect condition. All the flower girls were very good both in their vocal interventions and in their stage presence. An afternoon of indelible memory.
Artistic file
August 24, 2024
Bayreuth Festival
Parsifal, a sacred festival for the stage
Andreas Schagen, Georg Zeppenfeld, Ekaterina Gubanova, Jordan Shanahan
Derek Welton, Tobias Kehrer, Siyabonga Maqungo Matthew Newlin
Festival Orchestra and Choirs
Jay Scheib, directed by
Eberhard Friedrich, choirmaster
Pablo Heras-Casado, musical direction
