Ideally, I would wish for it to supplant Wagner’s turgid, dour, misogynistic opera Parsifal in popular culture. I loved the stories of the Knights of the Round Table. I clearly remember when David, the Sales Manager for Cisco’s Federal Government region, treated me to a visit to his lovely Virginia home, were we watched Wagner’s work on his home theater. It was a lovely setting, with a vinyard in the back yard. Comfortable furniture. Good company. I should have loved the opera. I did like some of Wagner’s other works. Such as the oft-invoked Ride of the Valkerie.
There’s a reason Parsifal is not more popular. It’s a travesty compared to the original work by good ol’ Wolfram. While the original Parzival is jolly, jocular, jovial, and constantly humble and self-effacing, Wagner’s Parsifal is serious, somber, sober, sonorous, and self-important.
Perhaps Wagner paid too much attention to the opening line:
If inconstancy is the heart’s neighbor, the soul will not fail to find it bitter.The plot, rather than being an off-beat, romantic comedy with a heart (all credit is due to Diane Johnson, who coined that phrase for me and gave me that coin at Carnegie Mellon back in 1985-1986), is instead a long-suffering, oh-woe-is-me, the-girl-has-to-die-because-she’s-EEEEVIL, triumph of the übermensch’s soul over the inferior world around him. An utterly alien take on the original story Hitler would well approve of (and did).
I am not alone in my abhorrance of the work, or in immediately recognizing the unsubtle misogyny and racism of the work:
Wagner, in the “Parsifal” libretto, gave Arab and Jewish associations to the degenerates of the piece. We are told in the dramatis personae that the evil magician Klingsor has a castle “facing the Arab part of Spain.” Kundry, Klingsor’s unwilling accomplice in the seduction and corruption of the Knights of the Grail, is identified as a traveller in Arabia and is described as “reddish-brown-skinned.” At the same time, she is a female counterpart of the Wandering Jew: she has been wandering the earth in search of redemption ever since she laughed at Christ on the way to Golgotha. She is a composite Semite, who must be kept at bay, and her redemption is death. “Parsifal” is a White Mass, a ceremony of purification. Hitler knew it well.What is totally ass-backwards and insane is that nothing could have taken the conciliatory and human story of the original Parzival further from its initial intent. That’s not who Klingsor is or why he does what he does. That’s not what Cundrie is, or why she does what she does. That’s not what Parzival is, or why he does what he does.
— Alex Ross: The Rest is Nose: The Unforgiven: Wagner and Hitler
The whole Good Friday schtick that Wagner lays down is also far, far, far from the original intent of Wolfram von Eschenbach, and all the other authors of the Holy Grail legends. For as we all know, the story is actually one of Pentecost: the celebration of the advent of the Holy Spirit. It is not to commemorate death, as on Good Friday, but to celebrate the presence of life and the power of renewal.
Wagner, in short, made a tin-eared, ham-handed butchery out of Wolfram. Wagner was a hack!
Instead, I propose a radically new version of the tale, in line with the original intent and spirit of the author, Wolfram von Eschenbach.
Parzival will be a lyrical epic comedy.
Light-hearted overall, with moments of pure, intense pain and sadness to make the joy of life sweeter and more appreciable. I want people to hum the tunes, sing the tunes. Teach the tunes to their children and sing to their dogs. Name their cats, their dogs, and their children after the characters.
I will only consider this musical a success if it plays in New York City, San Francisco, London, Paris and Berlin. Simultaneously. And in due time, we make it available through a movie musical and of course, television performances. I want it to be lovely, loving, and popular.
This doesn’t all have to even happen in my lifetime. As the Romans would say, Life is Brief, Art is Long. If you read these words, and I have passed on, remember the words of the man who came before me who inspired this art:
To good women, if they are sensible, I am all the more worthy—in case one of them wishes me well—now that I have completed this story. If it was done for a woman’s sake, she will have to speak sweet words to me.Thus I dedicate my labor to women, generally, and a few in specific.
First, to my mother, who has given me 44 years on this earth. One much wiser though no less crazy than Parzival’s dear mother.
Second to my grandmothers, Mary and Olivia, who are now departed. Mary was more like Parzival’s mother. And I could see in my father’s relationship with her that sense of clinginess and cloying love that required him to always be around for her. Alas.
Olivia, bless her, had a charming laugh. I thought of writing this musical before she passed away, yet I never set pen to paper in time. To them both I leave some Flowers in the Cracks.
To all of my prior loves, I also dedicate this work. For, as imperfect a friend, prospect, boyfriend or lover as I have been, you all tolerated my presence for a time. Some of you dared entrust me with your heart and your love, for which I shall ever be grateful.
As I also said, I was inspired by Diane Johnson’s phrase, “an offbeat romantic comedy… with a heart.” It helps to say that with a broad smiling giggle at the end of it. And a hand gesture to deliver “with a heart” just the right way. The term is perfect for Parzival. I shall endeavor to ensure that it is.
Lastly, I dedicate this work to “She Who Is.” For at the age of 44, I am as yet unmarried, on my own quest for love and joy. I wish I could say I learned my lesson as well as Parzival. He paid attention and was rewarded with true love. He found fair Condwiramurs, and they had two lovely sons. For my own part, I am still on my Grail Quest, a penitent knight. One day, if I am blessed, “She Who Is” shall bestow upon me her hand in loving marriage.
For now, time to get going. Come on Wolfram, I’ll buy you some brunch.
-Peter Corless.
petercorless@mac.com
650-906-3134 (mobile)
