Opera North: Parsifal

Creative Team
Richard Farnes conductor
Sam Brown director

Cast
Toby Spence Parsifal
Katarina Karnéus Kundry
Robert Hayward Amfortas
Derek Welton Klingsor
Brindley Sherratt Gurnemanz
Stephen Richardson Titurel
Samantha Clarke Flowermaiden
Elin Pritchard Flowermaiden

A prophecy to save them all   

 Following on from the success of the Ring Cycle, for his final operatic breath Wagner turned to the medieval legend of the Holy Grail, bringing to life the transcendent masterpiece his soul had yearned for: Parsifal.    

 A rare opportunity to experience the immense, shimmering universe of Wagner’s crowning work in all its immersive glory, this dramatic concert staging brings to the fore a resplendent 90-piece orchestra and a cast of stellar international singers under the skilful baton of conductor Richard Farnes (Ring Cycle). From the miraculous 15-minute orchestral ‘Prelude’ , to the celebrated ‘Good Friday Music’ with its constantly searching, evolving, ethereal beauty, Wagner carries the audience from worldly to exalted places.

 Amfortas, ruler of the Kingdom of the Grail, suffers an incurable wound after losing the Holy Spear to evil sorcerer Klingsor. When a prophecy reveals that only a naïve young man who has learnt compassion will be able to heal Amfortas, Parsifal must embark on a quest to save the community of the Grail.  

What is a concert staging?
Parsifal: Five Musical Moments

Audio description is available on this performance. This will include describing visual movement on the stage, as well as reading out the surtitles, so we want to encourage anyone who finds it hard to read surtitles to try it. Contact the box office to book a headset. The transmission of the description is over radio (not infrared) so you can sit anywhere in the hall and will get great audio quality. You can also bring your own headphones to plug into the receiver packs if you prefer (3.5mm jack).