Dresden's Semperoper has revived Richard Wagner's Parsifal after almost 40 years. Sunday's premiere drew mixed reactions, with cheers for the music and singers but boos for director Floris Visser.
Dresden's Semperoper has staged Richard Wagner's Parsifal for the first time since 1988, when Theo Adam's production ran until 2010. Sunday's new production featured musical direction by Daniele Gatti, Dutch director Floris Visser's Dresden debut, and sets by Frank Philipp Schlößmann. The full house gave divided responses: ovations for Gatti, the soloists, and the Sächsische Staatskapelle Dresden orchestra, but boos for Visser. Georg Zeppenfeld as Gurnemanz drew the loudest cheers, followed by Eric Cutler in his Parsifal role debut, Michèle Losier as Kundry, Albert Dohmen as Titurel, Oleksandr Pushniak as Amfortas, and Scott Hendricks as Klingsor. The abbey ruin turned tourist site set was well-received. Visser's staging narrates the story through a boy's eyes during a school visit to the abbey, portraying Parsifal as his hero amid mythical immersion. It references current global crises and political messages. In the program, Visser stated: “The world needs healing, more justice and care.” Gatti praised the music there: “You come from a day of work and daily tasks into the theater and hear the prelude. Then this music transports you to another planet.” Further performances are scheduled for March 25 and 31, and April 3 and 6.
