WAGNER: PARSIFAL
Jon Vickers - Parsifal
Norman Bailey - Amfortas
Amy Shuard - Kundry
Donald McIntyre - Klingsor
Louis Hendrikx - Gurnemanz
Michael Langdon - Titurel
Nan Christie - First Esquire
Delia Wallis - Second Esquire
David Lennox - Third Esquire
John Dobson - Fourth Esquire
Edgar Evans - First Knight
Denis Wicks - Second Knight
Kiri te Kanawa - 1st Flower Maiden
Maureen Keetch - 1st Flower Maiden
Anne Howells - 1st Flower Maiden
Alison Hargan - 2nd Flower Maiden
Anne Pashley - 2nd Flower Maiden
Marjorie Biggar - 2nd Flower Maiden
Anne Howells - Voice
The Royal Opera Chorus (Leader: Douglas Robinson)
The Orchestra of the Royal Opera House (Leader: Meyer Stolow)
Reginald Goodall, conductor
Producer: Ande Anderson
Recorded on 8 May 1971 (Stereo)
The Royal Opera House's 'Parsifal' conducted by Reginald Goodall can be called an historical document of major importance and essential listening for any Wagnerite. As the Gramophone critic noted in 1998, 'No conductor today has a greater "understanding of this complex structure and, as he himself would have it, its 'Klang', than Goodall.'
The vintage cast of Jon Vickers (Parsifal), Norman Bailey (Amfortas), Amy Shuard (Kundry), Donald McIntyre (Klingsor) and Louis Hendrikx (Gurnemanz) with the addition of Kiri Te Kanawa as the 1st Flower Maiden produce memorable performances.
It's greatest strength is Jon Vickers who said in 1981, ten years later than this performance, in an interview with Brice Duffie, 'I can assure you that the 'Parsifal' at Covent Garden (is) talked about to this day'. 'It still is' according to John Deathridge, whose essay accompanies this recording and who goes on to say 'If by no means ideal, this recording is still one of the most memorable'.
Reginald Goodall, whose legendary reputation in Wagner (and who recorded Parsifal in the studio in 1984 with the Welsh National), directs a performance which allows endless details to emerge from the score and the singers time to develop and improvise their roles. 1971 was almost the beginning of the recognition which came to him in the late part of his career.
This 'Parsifal' give collectors another opportunity to hear Amy Shuard who made very few recordings and whose early death at 51 deprived the Royal Opera House of one of it's potentially great stars.
Donald McIntyre and Norman Bailey were both highly experienced and respected Wagner singers by 1971 with appearances in Bayreuth and other leading opera houses. The Belgian bass-baritone, Louis Hendrikx, a very rare visitor to London, is a notable Gurnemanz. Also a young Kiri Te Kanawa makes her mark as the 1st Flower Maiden!
Superb stereo recording encapsulates both the power and detail of this astonishing score.
John Deathridge, the booklet writer, has just published a new book on Wagner from the University of California Press entitled 'Wagner Beyond Good and Evil'. ( Royal Opera House )
