Overture Magazine: 2017-2018 Season September-October 2017 | Page 26

WAGNER’S QUEST
BALTIMORE SYMPHONY
ASSOCIATES
PRESENTS
SECOND ANNUAL
KITCHENS
of Note
SYMPHONY
of Chefs
WEDNESDAY,
OCTOBER 18, 2017
HOMES OF LAURELFORD
Six fabulous kitchens,
Six renowned chefs,
in Baltimore County’s
Laurelford community.
Kitchens o
Note &
www.kitchensofnote.org
KITCHENS
of Note
Symphony
of Chefs
24
Parsifal does not understand the sacred
ritual of the Grail when he witnesses it
in Act I and is driven out of Monsalvat.
In the Second Act, from which we hear
no excerpts, he enters Klingsor’s castle,
withstands the seductions of the beautiful
Kundry (who had successfully tempted
Amfortas), wins back the Spear and uses
it to destroy Klingsor. Cursed by Kun-
dry, Parsifal is condemned to wander
fruitlessly in search of Monsalvat, to
suffer greatly and to grow in wisdom
and compassion. When he at last finds
the Grail realm again in Act III, he is
prepared to be its savior and new leader,
as was foretold.
Is Parsifal a religious opera, even
specifically a Christian one? Many
audiences have taken it to be that and
have viewed the Grail ritual as identical
to the