Opera Plots I - MDC Faculty Home Pages

Loving One who shall crush his own evil power utterly, flings the sacred spear at him, it remains
hovering in the air. Parsifal at once boldly seizes it, making the Sign of the Cross; and
immediately the enchanted palace and gardens are demolished by an earthquake, and Parsifal
issues forth triumphant from his temptation. For many years he wanders forth; and then at last,
when grown to perfect manhood by suffering and sorrow, he returns to the domain of the Holy
Grail, where he is seen in Act 3.
He is gladly greeted by Gurmanez, who tells him that Titurel has just died, and that the power of
the Knights is dwindling because the pain-racked Amfortas refuses to perform the sacred rites of
the Love Feast and revealing of the Holy Grail - and, deprived of its revivifying nourishment, they
have no power. The witch-maiden, Kundry, also appears, having, in her moments of release from
the power of Klingsor, devoted herself more lovingly than ever to the service of the Grail Knights,
in atonement for her many sins; and she now performs the humble service of washing the feet of
the wanderer, Parsifal, who announces that he has at last made himself worthy to bring salvation to
the wounded King, and to restore the sacred spear he has wrested from the Sorcerer. His first act
as the Bringer of Salvation is to baptise the humble and repentant Kundry, and then the three enter
the Sanctuary. Here the wounded Amfortas is found in the extremity of agony; but Parsifal touches
his bleeding side with the sacred spear and immediately the wound closes, and the restored King
falls on his knees before his preserver, and pours forth a prayer of praise and gratitude for his
deliverance. Parsifal now assumes the office of King, which is henceforth his right; and as he
performs the ceremony of revealr ing the Holy Grail a dazzling purple light floods the hall, and a
white dove slowly descends and hovers over the head of the rapt Parsifal, whilst the witch-maiden,
Kundry, sinks dying to the ground, at last released from the doom of evil by the noble Knight who
has been strong enough to resist her wiles. Thus is the sacred spear restored to the Sanctuary of the
Holy Grail and salvation brought to its guardians by the " Blameless, Guileless Fool," the true and
simple one, whose purity and faith has overcome temptation, and whose pity for the sufferings of
others has awakened the real spirit of brotherly love.
184. RIENZI
Opera in Five Acts By Richard Wagner
Libretto By the Composer (Adapted from Bulwer Lyttons Novel)
First Produced Dresden, October. 1842
Chief Characters Irene, Rienzi. Adriano, Colonna, Orsini
THE scene is laid in Rome during the fourteenth century. Rienzi, an ambitious but noble-hearted
plebeian, has gained much power amongst the people, and receives encouragement from the
Church in his lofty schemes for restoring the ancient power and glory of the Eternal City.
In Act 1 Irene, the fair sister of Rienzi, is insulted by a party of nobles, headed by Orsini and
Colonna, but is rescued by the latters son, Adriano, who is in love with the beautiful girl; and
when Rienzi afterwards learns of the (attempted outrage, he heads a rising of the people against
the oppression of the nobles. Adriano, [although his patrician blood inclines him to side with the
nobles, cannot resist his love for Irene, and so joins the party of Rienzi, who is at first victorious,
overcoming the nobles and forcing them to submit to the authority of the people, over whom he is