Richard Wagner

[Robo]

Twilight of the Gods (performed in Bayreuth, Germany, 1979)

The last 15 minutes of Richard Wagner's 16 hour long opera, The Ring of the Nibelung, sung by the Welsh soprano, Gwyneth Jones...

Ragnarök

Brünnhilde's final address to the pantheon of gods in their New World Order glittering fortress.

Taking the Ring of power from the finger of the slain hero, Siegfried, she throws herself into the fire.

Valhalla buns down in flames with the gods inside.

The waters of the Rhine rise and consume the flames, putting out the fire.

In the beginning, the Ring was fashioned from gold stolen from the innocent Rhine Maidens...

Their gold is now returned, and the history of the world has gone full circle.

The world is redeemed, returns to nature, as it was in the beginning.

The Rhine Maidens dance with the Ring with joy!

O you, heavenly custodian of oaths!
Turn your gaze
on my great grief,
see your everlasting guilt!
Hear my lament,
mighty god!

Everything, everything,
everything I know,
all is now clear to me!
I hear your ravens
stirring too;
with dreaded desired tidings
I now send them both home.
Rest, rest now, o god!

Wise sisters
of the water's depths,
you swimming daughters of the Rhine,
I thank you for your good counsel.
I give you
what you crave:
from my ashes
take it for your own!

The fire that consumes me
shall cleanse the ring from the curse!
You in the water,
wash it away
and keep pure
the gleaming gold
that was disastrously stolen from you.

Fly home, you ravens!
Recount to your master
what you have heard here by the Rhine!
Pass by Brünnhilde's rock:
direct Loge, who still
blazes there, to Valhalla;
for the end of the gods is nigh.
Thus do I throw this torch
at Valhalla's vaulting towers.

[Robo]

Kundry and the Wandering Jewess from Wagner's last opera, Parsifal

Like the young Parsifal, the wild woman has many names. The many elements in Wagner's Kundry included another archetype found in literature from the Middle Ages onwards: the Wandering Jew. In Wagner's poem, Kundry becomes a reincarnation of Herodias who, because she had laughed at the Saviour's suffering, was cursed to wander through the world until His return. She is not only cursed to wander, but also always to tell the truth; and she cannot weep, only laugh her accursed laugh.

https://www.monsalvat.no/kundry.htm

In the quote below, from Astrid Varnay's autobiography, "Fifty-five Years in Five Acts", (pp. 116-117), the singer/actress discusses the character of Kundry and gives some interesting insight into Kundry's innermost being, which was one of her many roles on the world's international opera stages:

[Kundry's] sexuality, without love or even a modicum of affection, is like a narcotic. The more Kundry indulges, the more she desires. Parsifal's unexpected rejection drives her to frenzy, to the extent that her mental processes become incoherent. Finally, she confuses feelings and remembrances, and even goes so far as to believe that Parsifal is the One she had laughed at. She begs and pleads with him to "unite" with her for her salvation. Parsifal's denial drives her to form of madness. The effect is like drug withdrawal. The person goes through hell until he or she is healed.

To make matters even more complicated, Kundry has become a kind of schizophrenic, unaware of one manifestation of her personality while she is locked in the other. In act 1, despite her not realizing she had been at fault in seducing Amfortas, she also has an inner compulsion to atone, like someone on a pilgrimage to a scared shrine, moving up and down the stairs on her knees. And for all the services she renders, she insists on being spared any form of gratitude. "Ich helfe nie," is her response to the thanks of others, "I never help." The reason for this is her belief that gratitude will nullify the validity of the help she has given, and this would mar the selflessness of her acts. It's a very life-negating attitude toward what are basically simple virtues.

Astrid Varnay as Kundry, in Wagner's opera "Parsifal"

[SeeD_Command]

I appreciate this kind of performance and orchestra very much! When I was young I was dragged to these types of performances in a suit and tie, then forced to an equally formal dinner afterward, it was torture. Yet now I yearn for it and wish my grandpa was still around who organized it. As a child, I never recognized the tremendous amount of coordination, organization and logistics that is involved with creating a show like that. For those who don't appreciate the show, surely the logistics of putting it together are worthy of admiration.

[pierre]

and this was in it for the long haul until the jews got to it and 'progressively' made it tame and hosher. Oberamgau woing strong since 1600 and something, until the jews screwed it into oblivion https://archive.org/details/passionplayofobe00moserich
eg 'let his blood be upon us and our children'.. got the chop. emjones on about it.

and emj (catholic or bust I call him) reckons wagner went all pagan and adorno (before adorno). I've heard, and it makes sense , that lord of the rings was ripped off of wagners ring cycle.
second last christmas I indulged in the new york version (yeh I know, jews).. the valkyries song is haunting (seductive)
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/03/10/arts ... epage.html
the set was amazing.

[Robo]

and this was in it for the long haul until the jews got to it and 'progressively' made it tame and hosher. Oberamgau woing strong since 1600 and something, until the jews screwed it into oblivion https://archive.org/details/passionplayofobe00moserich
eg 'let his blood be upon us and our children'.. got the chop. emjones on about it.

and emj (catholic or bust I call him) reckons wagner went all pagan and adorno (before adorno).

Care to explain? What and how did the Jews make it tame and kosher? What do you mean by "Oberamgau woing" and "screwed it up"? Screwed what up and how?
Who is E.M. Jones and what is "'let his blood be upon us and our children'.. got the chop. emjones on about it" all about?

Wagner wasn't explicitly Christian or Pagan. He was searching for what to believe in. The Ring Cycle is nihilistic and does portend the end of the New World Order agenda, but in his last work, "Parsifal", he does leave the door open for Christianity. One of the things that "Parsifal" portrays is the demise and fall of empty ritual and what I can Churchianity.

I saw "Parsifal" at the Met Opera in NYC in 2013. I liked the production, but I didn't like the ethos of the place... too corporate, and the stage and auditorium is so large, some of the drama got lost in the vast space. The singing and orchestral playing were great though, so it was worth it.

[Robo]

Music
The Pilgrim's Chorus, from Wagner's opera, Tannhäuser

Pictures:
King Ludwig II of Bavaria
Neuschwanstein Castle, inspired by Wagner's operas

[Robo]

Wagner's final opera, Parsifal, includes the theme of the Wasteland and the wounded King. In this story, a black magician transformed our world into a magic wonder garden, full of temptations. If humans can be distracted by material desire, they will become prisoners in a false reality. In a nutshell, Parsifal recognises what's happening, and exits the black magicians simulation by raising his vibration.

Gurnemanz, the wisest of the Grail Knights, explains a prophecy that one day, an innocent Fool will come and lead the way out of the false simulation. Through this act, the world will be healed. In a holy dream vision, in words of fire, the Grail king is told to wait for the one whom God appoints. Gurnemanz explains:

Titurel, the pious hero, he knew him well. For to him, when savage foes craft and might threatened the realm of the true faith, the Saviour's angelic messengers descended one holy, solemn night; bearing the sacred vessel, the holy, noble cup from which He drank at the last supper, into which His divine blood flowed on the Cross and with it the Spear that shed it - these wondrous holy relics they gave into our King's charge. For them he built this sanctuary. You who were called to its service, by paths that no sinner can find, you know that it is given only to the pure to join the brothers whose strength to perform the works of righteousness is drawn from the Grail's mighty power.

So it was denied to him, of whom you ask, Klingsor, though he made every effort. Yonder lies the valley where he dwelt alone, beyond it lies a rich heathen land; unknown to me is the sin for which he bore guilt, but I know he would atone, indeed become holy. Powerless to overcome his sinful cravings, he laid blasphemous hands upon himself, to gain the Grail for which he yearned and by its guardian he was turned away. At which, wrath taught Klingsor how his deed of shameful sacrifice could give him access to black magic; this he now found.

He turned the desert into a garden in which bloomed women of infernal beauty; there he lies in wait for the Grail knights, to lure them to shameful desire and defilement; those he entices, fall under his control; many has he ruined.

When Titurel, much burdened with age, passed on the kingship to his son, Amfortas could not wait to put a stop to this plague of sorcery. You know what happened there; the spear is now in Klingsor's hand; if he can wound even a holy one with it, he must imagine the Grail already firmly his.

Before the desecrated sanctuary Amfortas lay in fervent prayer, imploring a sign of salvation; a blessed radiance then came upon the Grail; a holy dream-vision now clearly addressed him in brightly shining characters:

"By compassion made wise, the pure fool; wait for him, whom I appoint."

This is a video of complete opera, which is nearly 4 hours in length, but it'll start at the point where Gurnemanz talks about how the black magician, Klingsor, created the matrix:

https://youtu.be/eqOBEH-JRhs?t=2513

Jesus Christ also made a prophecy similar to the one that Amfortas received in words of fire, but Wagner addresses Christ's prophecy in more detail in the Parsifal music drama.

[Robo]

Wagner also wrote a few songs, including "Stehe still! " (Be stilled), which his mistress, Mathilde Wesendonck, wrote the words for:

Be stilled! (English translation)

Roaring and rushing wheel of time,
You are the measurer of Eternity;
Shining spheres in the wide universe,
You who surround the world globe,
Eternal creation, halt!

Enough development, let me be!
Cease, generative powers,
The primal thoughts which you are ever creating!
Slow your breathing, still your urge
Silently, only for a second long!

Swelling pulses, fetter your beating,
End, o eternal day of willing!

That in blessed, sweet forgetfulness,
I may measure all my bliss!
When one eye another drinks in bliss,
And one soul into another sinks,
One nature in another finds itself again,
And when each hope's fulfilment is finished,
When the lips are mute in astounded silence,
And no wish more does the heart invent,
Then man recognizes the sign of Eternity,
And solves your riddle, holy Nature!

[Robo]

Wagner's last opera, Parsifal, is about the Holy Grail. About halfway through Act I, there's an orchestral section, known as the Transformation Music (Verwandlungsmusik), in which Parsifal is taken into the Grail Castle, where "time becomes space"..

As the Innocent Fool is led towards the castle, he asks:

Parsifal:
Who is the Grail?

Gurnemanz:
That cannot be spoken; but if you yourself are called to its service, the knowledge will be revealed to you. Now look! I think I know you aright; no path leads to it through the land, and nobody finds their way there, unless the Grail itself leads them.

Parsifal:
I scarcely move, yet already it seems I have travelled far.

Gurnemanz:
You see, my son, here time becomes space.

Now pay attention and let me see; if you are a fool, and pure, what wisdom may be revealed to you.

https://yewtu.be/watch?v=Ysm44rqhLss

[Robo]

https://yewtu.be/watch?v=JkUGlz2OqSA