Parsifal is an opera in three acts, premiered on 26 July 1882 by Richard Wagner during the second edition of the Bayreuth Festival. Composed between 1877 and 1887, Parsifal embodies Wagner’s renewed interest in the theme of the Holy Grail, which was already expressed in his opera Lohengrin. In fact, the plot is inspired by the novel Parzifal by Wolfram von Eschenbach, which in turn was taken from the unfinished work Perceval, the Story of the Grail by Chrétien de Troyes. The story tells the adventures of a knight of the Round Table looking for the sacred cup that collected the blood of Christ. Only an “Alter Christus” (“a new Christ”) could achieve this mission and, after many initiation tests, Parsifal can finally appear as a Christlike figure: a redeemer who brings salvation to the entirety of humanity.
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medici.tv is the best online platform for streaming Wagner’s Parsifal live, on replay or VOD, offering you a virtual ticket to the most exciting concerts with the world’s best artists and orchestras captured in HD video. Taking place in the mystic Middle Ages of Chrétien de Troyes’ Story of the Grail, Wagner’s Parsifal, WWV 111 is an esoteric work characterized by complex symbolism: under the guise of a tale of knights and adventurous quests, Parsifal hides a journey to knowledge and self-awareness. Follow the Knights of the Round Table in their adventures—etymologically adventura means “what shall come”—so come and discover your destiny on medici.tv!
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A selection of our programs is available for free for all registered users and the rest can be unlocked with a subscription, including Wagner’s opera Parsifal. Live videos, replays or VOD, stream right to your living room from the most renowned concert halls in the world, and you can watch our concerts on your biggest screens with AirPlay, Chromecast, and our new Roku app. On medici.tv, you can find some of the best works by Wagner, including Parsifal, WWV 111, interpreted by renowned artists including Sir Simon Rattle, Daniel Barenboim, and Daniel Harding.
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In his opera Parsifal, Wagner tells a story of knowledge obtained through divine revelation. This thematic choice enraged philosopher Nietzsche (the author of the essay The Antechrist), who accused the composer of having miserably “prostrated to the feet of the cross.” But as Andrea Bedetti wrote in this regard: “In Parsifal, the religious allusions were not due to a christian dimension in a narrow sense, but to a mysterious and undefined dimension of the sacred.” Besides, Wagner himself had wondered about the role of art in his essay Religion and Art (1880), in which he proposed the recognition of a theological role to art, declaring: “It is up to art to save religion; by appropriating mythical symbols authenticated by religion itself, art highlights their ideal representation and shows their profound truth.” Thus, we could say that Wagner was not only trying to create a beautiful piece of art in Parsifal, WWV 111, but he also wanted to make Art a tool of knowledge of the sacred. Are you ready to drink from the Cup of the Holy Grail? On medici.tv, you can find some of the best interpretations of Wagner’s Parsifal!