Search - Wagner - Parsifal (The Story of the Opera) on DVD

Beware if you think this is a production of the opera.

01/28/1999

(1 out of 5 stars)

"This is the story of the opera: It contains certain staged excerpts, but mainly gives some background information on events in Wagner's life which led to the opera coming about. "Parsifal," which speaks to the soul's quest for purity, is visually explained in this production, thru the use of nudity! Anyone who believes in the magic and beauty of "Parsifal," would do well to avoid this video."

A video which will satisfy nobody...

JULIAN S. POTTIER | UNITED KINGDOM | 04/15/2000

(1 out of 5 stars)

"Although there are some good scenes of the Kirov production, I was disappointed with this video. It is not a good introduction, and anyone who knows anything about Parsifal will wince frequently. The video includes far too many extracts from other movies, especially Palmer's 'Wagner'. Palmer mixes in music from 'The Ring' which might confuse someone new to the topic. Domingo looks simply awful as Parsifal. There are a couple of scenes with nude swimmers, which appear completely out of place with the style of the Kirov production, and also are totally uninteresting as pornography. It made me realise how good Syberberg's Parsifal is."

VHS OPERA PARSIFAL / PLACIDO DOMINGO

WILLIAM HUANG | SAN FRANCISCO, CA USA | 08/11/2000

(2 out of 5 stars)

"This video is not a complete recording of the Opera Parsifal but it offers description of the story of this opera narrated by Placido Domingo plus introductions to the back ground of the opera, philosophy of the opera and even the humanity implication of the opera as well as the composer's biography. A lot of film clips were edited into video string of this tape and it is nice to have scenes from various films though I do not necessary agree with the points of view offered. If you are not crazy about Wagnerian operas but you would like to own some kind of recording of Parsifal and this is one you ought to have because it's got all the excerpts of the highlights of the opera. If you are a hot fan of Parsifal and you already own a complete recording of this opera then it wouldn't hurt to own this recording on the side for story telling and interest of the Holy Grail Myth.Vocally, Domingo was in great voice but lack of the youthfulness of Jerusalem of the Philips Bayreuther recording. Kundry sung by Violeta Urmana who acted well and whose top voice was very focused and brilliant compared to the the Kundry sung by Eva Randova of the Bayreuther recording who was sort of a mezzo-soprano pushing her middle voice up to sing the top. (A lot of mezzo-soprano sings in that manner and once they found their tops, they usually will sing dramatic sopranos instead.) However Bayreuther's Kundry was more appealing since the opera describes Kundry as the fairest of all of the Flower Maidens in the opera. klingsor sung by Nikolai Putilin sounded good but look like a monster rather than a devil.The swimming sexy girls were ok to imply fantasy of the Magic Garden."

Avoid this, it ought to be burned!

L. Lubin | NY, NY | 08/11/2009

(1 out of 5 stars)

"While Domingo certainly knows this opera, he could no possibly know what he was getting involved in.
The producers present an unbalanced and distorted view of the themes of Parsifal, especially Redemption through Compassion, by obsessing over Hitler's response to Wagner's works. No one here bothers to mention that the Nazis BANNED Parsifal from all German opera houses, including Bayreuth, in 1939 because they couldn't reconcile its message with their own. But there is an awful lot of blather about purity and blood which I dare you to show me in the opera's text. I've translated every word myself, including the stage directions. Even if you can't read German, there are plenty of good translations available, and a few good books, too, about this opera. Read something, and leave VHS taped garbage like this to the landfills."