Until February 5, the Grand Théâtre de Genève is showing Wagner’s “Parsifal” starring Swedish tenor Daniel Johansson in the title role. A production directed by Jonathan Nott at the head of the OSR in a staging that is both sober and radical by Michael Thalheimer.
A monumental work that combines Christian symbolism, Buddhist inspiration and Arthurian motifs, “Parsifal” is the last opera by Richard Wagner who, at the time of its creation in 1882, was 68 years old.
Sick of the heart – he will die the following year -, the composer of the “Tetralogy” breathes into this work all the spiritual and metaphysical reflections of a man at the end of his existence.
A dense and universal plot
It is not easy to present the plot of “Parsifal” – built on antagonisms such as fault and redemption, the pure and the impure, the profane and the sacred -, so dense are the themes addressed and the libretto subject to various interpretations.
We can nevertheless try to sketch in a few lines and in a very factual way the plot as well. The story takes place in the Arthurian universe. According to a prophecy, only the pure and innocent Parsifal can recover the Holy Lance, stolen from Amfortas, king of the Grail Knights, by the magician Klingsor, when he fell under the spell of the enchantress Kundry.
Bringing back the relic will save both the king who, injured by the sacred spear during his fight once morest the magician, suffers terribly from this incurable wound, but also an entire community plunged into decay and despair. At first completely overwhelmed, Parsifal will have to go through various initiatory stages in order to try to fulfill his destiny.
A scene from the production of “Parsifal” at the Grand Théâtre de Genève in January 2023. [Carole Parodi – GTG]
A high-flying distribution
With a duration of almost five hours (intermissions included), “Parsifal” is currently on view at the Grand Théâtre de Genève in a high-flying cast.
Chosen from among the prestigious Wagnerian voices of the moment and for roles, we find the Swedish tenor Daniel Johansson in the title role, the German bass Tareq Nazmi (the knight Gurnemanz), the British baritone Christophe Maltman (Amfortas), the baritone Martin Gantner (Klingsor). Alongside them, the mezzo-soprano Tanja Ariane Baumgartner, who has already held the role of Kundry.
They are accompanied on stage by the Choir of the Grand Théâtre de Genève and the Maîtrise du Conservatoire populaire de Genève and, in the pit, by the Orchester de la Suisse Romande. All under the direction of Jonathan Nott who manages to bring all the intensity necessary for the execution of such a colossal work.
>> To listen: Interview with Jonathan Nott on this production of “Parsifal” in the program “A l’opéra”
A sober and bloody staging
The heavy task of staging was entrusted to the German Michael Thalheimer who admits in the program to be faced with “an impossible work”. Faced with all this complexity, he decided to offer “very clear and very sober images”. A simplicity that should allow the viewer to “place their own images” while listening to this work that is difficult to access.
>> To see: the presentation of Wagner’s “Parsifal” presented at the Grand Théâtre de Genève
For this Geneva production, the decor is therefore very refined and graphic. Simplicity also in the three more than symbolic colors chosen, namely white, black and especially red.
Because yes, there is a lot of blood, both on the clothes and the bodies of the protagonists and on the walls where it is thrown and spread out, in this staging which, like Gurnemanz all trembling on his canes, shows Grail knights in a bad way in a world that is more post-apocalyptic than medieval.
A radical choice that we appreciate or not, but which does not leave indifferent.
Andréanne Quartier-la-Tente
“Parsifal” by Richard Wagner, Grand Théâtre de Genève, until February 5, 2023.