Synopsis

Gurnemanz and two esquires start their morning prayers while they wait for Amfortas. Amfortas hopes that by bathing he will relieve the pain of the wound that Klingsor inflicted on him. Kundry brings him medicine, which he takes sceptically. He believes that only an innocent fool, who has become knowledgeable through compassion, can heal him.

When the esquires begin to mock Kundry, Gurnemanz defends her, although he senses that she is partly to blame for Amfortas’ suffering. Gurnemanz tells the history of Titurel, Amfortas, Klingsor and the Grail ritual and tries to explain the causes of the present catastrophic situation.

Gurnemanz relates the story of Amfortas’ vision of a redeemer: ‘enlightened through compassion, the innocent fool’. Voices interrupt them. A swan has been killed. The perpetrator, Parsifal, is unaware that he has done any wrong. When asked who he is, he doesn’t answer directly, instead revealing the name of his mother, Herzeleide, who intentionally raised him far away from other people to be ignorant of his identity. Kundry tells him that Herzeleide has died. Gurnemanz hopes that the fool might be Amfortas’ redeemer and takes Parsifal along with him to the Grail rites. When Parsifal asks Gurnemanz about the Grail, his only answer is: ‘That cannot be said’.

Amfortas tries to avoid administering the Grail ritual, because taking part in it would augment his suffering and he would rather die. Urged on by Titurel, he does finally perform the ritual. Everybody sits down for supper. Parsifal pities Amfortas, but remains speechless. Gurnemanz, disappointed that apparently Parsifal is not the redeemer, sends him away.

Klingsor orders Kundry to seduce Parsifal because he feels threatened by Parsifal’s innocence. Kundry, at first unwilling, gives in and obeys him.

At Klingsor’s command, Parsifal is surrounded by women. At first he is surprised and flattered by their presence, but when they get too insistent, he is irritated.

Suddenly Kundry calls him by the name only his mother used with him – Parsifal. She gains his confidence as she knows his parents’ history. She tells him that his mother died of grief over his disappearance. Parsifal is deeply moved. Kundry takes advantage of the situation and gives him, in his mother’s name, a loving kiss. This awakens in  Parsifal a feeling of identification with Amfortas’ pain. He becomes aware of the task before him and spurns her advances.

Kundry tries to make clear to Parsifal that she too needs redemption. She is convinced that she has finally found the person with whom she can make up
for her previous errors. She begs him to spend just one hour with her as her lover, but he refuses. Enraged, she curses him: he shall never find the way to heal Amfortas. Kundry appeals to Klingsor for help. Klingsor attacks Parsifal, but Parsifal remains unscathed and breaks the pattern of violence.

Gurnemanz encounters Kundry, completely shaken. Parsifal enters silently brooding and is reminded by Gurnemanz that it is Good Friday. Gurnemanz notices the change in him; finally, Parsifal feels capable of helping Amfortas. Gurnemanz tells him that Amfortas refuses to go on living and that Titurel has died. Parsifal blames himself for all that has occurred.

Together with Kundry, Gurnemanz prepares Parsifal for the imminent task. All three experience a moment of hope.

At Titurel’s funeral, Amfortas is expected to carry out the Grail ritual one last time. Amfortas mourns the death of his father and begs to be allowed to die and put an end to his suffering. Parsifal, now being compassionate and knowledgeable, intervenes and Amfortas’ suffering comes to an end.