Opera Now CHOICE

Parsifal Wagner Sony Classics 19439947742 Parsifal is perhaps the most divisive of Wagner’s operas. For some it is an overwhelming philosophical and quasi-religious experience. For others, just plain overwhelming. Mark Twain, seeing it at Bayreuth in 1891, opined ‘Nothing can make a Wagner opera absolutely perfect and satisfactory to the untutored but to leave out the vocal parts’. He also complained of the length: ‘Seven hours at $5 a ticket is almost too much for the money’. I have news for Twain–at this summer’s Festival, a ticket to Parsifal would cost him up to €432, which makes this new release, retailing at over £45, seem a bargain. More to the point, in a crowded field is it worth investing in? The recording is taken live from staged performances at the…

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Opera Now (Digital) - 1 Issue, Summer 2024

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