(Note: This post has been updated (4) as of 5:22 PM Eastern on 1 Aug. See below)
The new Christoph Schlingensief production of Parsifal (25 July) got a mixed reception from the audience, which was lots better than I'd expected. Some scattered applause and one boo at the end of Act I (when all should have been silent); lots of applause, and a few scattered whistles after Act II; and a huge amount of booing and whistling at opera's end, but a fair amount of applause as well.
I still have no idea what sort of outrage Schlingensief actually perpetrated (I know only that outrage it surely was), but I'm certain this week will bring detailed descriptions in the media from a number of sources.
I wouldn't dare attempt an authoritative critique of the performance itself as with that diaphanous score most of the details played softer than mezzo forte were difficult or impossible to hear on the streaming audio Webcast. What I can say is that Boulez turned in what must be one of the fastest Parsifals on record (surprise!), and from what I could hear of the orchestra (which wasn't nearly enough), turned in a reading that was about as nuanced and subtle as a hockey puck. The crude sound of the brass was most especially annoying, as was Boulez's special speeding-up of anything in the score that even hinted at the sacred or transcendent.
Boulez says he was "warned by Wieland Wagner" about how slow tempi in Parsifal make the work "go dead." Boulez doesn't seem to understand the difference between slow tempi in Parsifal taken by any old conductor, of which Boulez is one, and the slow (i.e., proper) tempi taken by gifted Wagner conductors which only clock slow overall compared with Boulez, but which have always the forward-pressing internal pulse and almost bar-to-bar adjustments of tempo absolutely necessary to the proper realization of this score; more so than any other of Wagner's works.
Wagner's contemptuous appellation of "quadruped" for four-square conductors of his works most assuredly applies to Boulez — in spades.
The singers were all merely competent, so nothing to rave about there, either good or bad. The Parsifal had a marked baritonal quality to his voice which simply sounded "wrong" in Acts I and II, but worked OK for Act III. The Gurnemanz tried to give his part life by dramatic vocal inflection, but merely ended up sounding like a ham. Kundry screamed her way through the latter part of her Act II appearance, but was otherwise OK. Amfortas made it through I and III in a competent way. Ditto the Klingsor in II. Actually, he was the best of the lot.
Charles T. Downey of Ionarts has checked in with a few remarks on the production, among which was the following.
"Doesn't ACD realize that Boulez 'saved Parsifal'," he [CTD] asked impishly....
Uh-huh. See above for my assessment of that rescue.
As we knew he would, A. C. Douglas ... had already pronounced the failure of the Schlingensief production, because the tenor singing Parsifal criticized it.
Not quite, Charles. A.C. Douglas pronounced that Schlingensief would proffer a perverse piece of outrageous crap. (Such crap is hardly a failure for the likes of a Schlingensief. It's considered by such as he and his ilk as a triumph if only the audience boos loud and long enough.) That pronouncement of mine was made two days before I knew the outraged tenor had expressed his outrage.
Credit where credit is due, please.
Update (5:22 PM Eastern on 1 Aug): I comment further here on Boulez's realization of the Parsifal score in this production.
Update (5:00 PM Eastern on 27 Jul): Financial Times (London) critic, Andrew Clark, checks in with his impressions of the Schlingensief Parsifal.
Update (8:40 AM Eastern on 27 Jul): Glorioski! I've just discovered (after four years!) that my computer speaker system has an output jack for headphones. That means I can now listen to what comes across on streaming audio Webcasts at the full proper volume. The live-feed Parsifal Webcast of 25 July commented on above will be rebroadcast 1 August. I'll be listening. Maybe this time I'll be able to hear all I could not on the live feed. Stay tuned.
Update (6:05 AM Eastern on 27 Jul): New York Times music critic Jeremy Eichler weighs in with his impressions of the Schlingensief Parsifal here. For those of you who can read German fluently (I, unhappily, cannot), here's a linked listing of reviews in the German press.
It's The Music, Stupid!
Peggy
