Attending the opera Parsifal by Richard Wagner at the Royal Opera in Stockholm on Monday March 28th 2016 was a joy. The singers, the orchestra, the cast and the staging were all wonderful.
However. There was a problem: The libretto. The story. The text.
To show what I mean, I have here collected all instances in the libretto in English where the words ”holy” and ”sacred” (German: ”heilig”) have been used to characterize something. The German libretto would yield essentially the same result.
Act 1
- … the sacred lake
- Are not beasts sacred here?
- Whether you are sacred.
- … holy Spear!
- … unholiest hand!
- … holy Spear
- … holy faith
- … holy noble goblet
- … the sacred relic.
- … he wished to atone, even become holy.
- A holy vision
- … the holy forest
- … the holy Meal
- … the Holy of Holies
- … the holy relic
- … holiest blood
- … the sacred Cup
- In pity’s holy longing
- … in holiest office
- That holy I may die…
- Blood and Body of the holy gift
Act 2
- Because I once strived for holiness?
- … the guardian of the Holies
- … the Holy Cup
- The Holy Blood glows
- … the holy weapon
Act 3
- … the holiest of mornings
- … the holy day
- … the sacred spring
- Which holy day this is?
- … the holiest of holies
- … his holy blood
- … this holiest day!
- … the holy relic
- The Grail’s holy Spear!
- … Holy illustrious miracle!
- … his holy office
- The holy manna…
- … holy wars
- … the holy warrior
- The holy spring itself
- A holy office to perform
- … holy dew
- … its holy office
- … His holy Blood
- This holy Spear
- Holy Blood…
- Highest holy Wonder!
