January 13, 2002: Parsifal in Vienna

2002-01-13 Parsifal (R. Wagner), Wiener Staatsoper

Amfortas = Bernd Weikl
Titurel = Peter Wimberger
Gurnemanz = Kurt Rydl
Parsifal = Placido Domingo
Klingsor = Wolfgang Bankl
Kundry = Violeta Urmana

Peter Schneider, conductor





Peter Schneider was the right conductor for Parsifal.
Kurt Rydl was great as Gurnemanz, but not as tall as Matti Salminen, and that was a pity. Because in Madrid where M. Salminen sang Gurnemanz, he was always the tallest onstage, and that is almost a requirement in this role. Bernd Weikl too was great, as Amfortas, but I think Madrid's Grundheber was better. As in Madrid: Wolfgang Bankl was Klingsor, and he was great, too.

And this Parsifal was great, but now we come to the center of the question, Parsifal and Kundry. Plácido Domingo and Violeta Urmana. It was the Placido Domingo who sang the best German, without a false word, the Spaniard was better than the German-speaking singers in the language test of Parsifal. Violeta Urmana, in her attempt to sing correct German, seem to loose out meaning in the search of pronounciation.

The Kundry of Violeta Urmana was unexciting, boring in both act1 and 3. Only in Act 2 did she manage to be any thing called exciting because of the beautiful dress she was wearing. Where Agnes Baltsa gave heart and soul into Kundry, only belcanto from Urmana.

Plácido Domingo, the final judgment: he is a great Parsifal. still young. Forever young.


13.JANUARY 2002 17:00


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Parsifal
Ein Bühnenweihfestspiel von Richard Wagner

DirigentPeter Schneider
Inszenierung August Everding
Ausstattung Jürgen Rose
Choreographie Ray Barra
Chorleitung Ernst Dunshirn
" ..

Kundry - Violeta Urmana*
Erster Knappe - Cornelia Salje*
Zweiter Knappe - Michelle Breedt
Dritter Knappe - Walter Pauritsch
Vierter Knappe  - Michael Roider
Erster Gralsritter - Benedikt Kobel
Zweiter Gralsritter - Peter Köves
Blumenmädchen 1 Gruppe - lngrid Kaiserfeld
Judith Halász*
Stella Grigorian
2 Gruppe - Simina Ivan
Renate Pitscheider
Michelle Breedt
Stimme von oben - Michelle Breedt
* Rollendebüt an der Wiener Staatsoper


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