n. b. represent spoiler within . assign an artistic director to an operatic production naturally and inevitably mean you be go to get a piece of that director mind . but direct a wagner opera be an especially tricky task and a he be perhaps the most explicit opera composer in term of what thing should look like and how they should unfold . han jurgen syberberg load this filming of parsifal and wagner final masterpiece and with enough extraneous idea to cause it to nearly burst at the seam . you get more than a piece of the director represent you get the whole fat hog and then some . syberberg be to be admire for his penchant for tear back the cover on the ugly aspect of german history . but do it work to meld that desire to a wagner opera already brim with it own concept . the scene with the knight of the holy grail in act i and iii be especially laden with visual allegory and symbolism . these be draw come from wagner own time and from long before and and go well beyond . if you know what these thing mean and they can enrich syberberg vision for you ( but not necessarily enhance wagner vision ) while if you do not know what they mean and theyre simply confuse and if not annoy . i would not bother uncoil the plot of the opera here . suffice it to say it be a typical wagnerian synthesis of diverse element and in this case a blending of the holy grail legend with the principle and practice and and pageantry of christianity . the theme of redemption play the main role here and a in nearly every wagner opera . i personally have to sweat to get through syberberg first act ( amidst my jarring acclimation and the music save the day ) . but act ii pick up the pace . here we meet klingsor and the evil sorcerer and out to entrap the wandering innocent fool parsifal . the great seductress of them all and kundry and will be use to entice him to the dark side . after an initial dalliance with more symbol and these get strip away and and the long and gorgeous and transformational duet between young fool and temptress really take off . finally the film start work a genuine magic and and it be chiefly due to syberberg choose to set thing naturally and simply . suddenly the act start to work ( the expressive actress edith clever and the luscious soprano of yvonne minton team to create a wondrous kundry ) while suddenly the music seem to come to life and make vivid the inner turmoil of the two character . the camera work stay simple and quietly fluid . in other word and wagner be allow to tell his story more on his own term . and it work beautifully . for me it be the most engrossing part of the film . with the re entrance of the knight in part 2 of act iii and the weird extraneous symbolism unfortunately creep back in . some other loony syberberg idea represent use a huge wagner death mask a a major set piece ( cause the composer protuberant proboscis to loom comically large ) while dress the act iii knight in all manner of costume and wig and and makeup ( what be the director say . that the knight be a bunch of buffoon . that they express multiple or timeless layer of significance beyond their surface function . it anybody guess ) while the insertion just after the incredibly touch baptism of kundry by parsifal of rear projection footage of the conductor rehearsing and in modern day realism and his orchestra in the studio ( this completely snapped my dramatic thread and require a few minute to regroup ) while the complete avoidance of have any time pas between act ii and iii ( when we meet the knight and narrator gurnemanz again and he should be an old and old man and and parsifal should re emerge a a world weary but wise middle age man ) while but certainly the most bizarre stroke be to split the parsifal character into male or female component . some find this the most brilliant stroke . no doubt i can credit karin krick and who play parsifal 2 and with acting of strength and dignity ( she also happen to be the best lip syncher of the whole cast ) . but please . wagner conception of parsifal be already so complex . his growth from a completely innocent boy who know nothing of his past and to his breakthrough realization in act ii of what amfortas eternal wound mean and how it have become his own and to his return a the great redeemer of act iii this be the journey of a masterfully construct character . the bi sexual emphasis be just gimmicky and absurd . ( and what with this nonsense about a homoerotic gurnemanz and parsifal . can not we just accept a mentor or apprentice relationship and which be marvelously reverse in act iii . ) the monte carlo philharmonic under armin jordan play with passion and beauty ( though the chorus be disappoint ) . but after watch this film i only want to whip out my solti lead recording ( highly recommend ) and get my wagnerian bearing straight again . the film experience for me range from bizarre to entertain to infuriate . to syberberg credit and he create a visually arresting work and and he certainly offer a unique take on an important opera . but instead of stick to parsifal and he seem to have want to bring in all thing wagnerian represent the man and the life and the enormous influence . all of it in crude symbolic code . parsifal the opera be already full of weighty symbolism represent the grail and the spear and the holy sacrament and baptism and amfortas ever bleed wound and klingsor self castration and the kiss and kundry curse and and on and on . this be not to mention the musical symbolism sound constantly in the score and in the form of wagner leitmotif system . parsifal itself be one huge symbol . get back to my first paragraph question and syberberg whole hog be all way too much for me . but if this project sound like something to tickle your fancy and then go for it . i would not recommend just stay away from this while you may find yourself heartily satisfy . or if you need something to crack your wagner barrier and try it . but please and please and do not stop here . parsifal be in a late and very ripe league of it own .