In the Temple of the Holy Grail the ignorant young Parsifal (Christopher Ventris) watches, uncomprehending, as the Titurel (Kevin Langan) berates Amfortas (Greer Grimsley), king of the starving Grail Knights. The blood-red light box running along the wall pulsed and throbbed throughout the scene. © Rozarii Lynch
The four young Grail Knights (Terri Richter, David Adam Moore, Linda Pavelka, and Doug Jones) watch Gurnemanz (Stephen Milling) arrange the coronation of Parsifal (Christopher Ventris) as new Grail King. Kundry (Linda Watson) washes the dust of his long journey from his feet with her hair. © Rozarii Lynch
Parsifal (Christopher Ventris) heals Amfortas (Greer Grimsley)’s wound with the very spear that caused it. © Rozarii Lynch
When Parsifal (Christopher Ventris) returns the spear to Gurnemanz (Stephen Milling), Kundry (Linda Watson), and the stricken grail knights in Act Three, his costume includes elements drawn from eastern warrior traditions, such as samurai. © Chris Bennion
Naïve Parsifal (Christopher Ventris) encounters a group of seductive Flower Maidens with diverse costumes embodying all kinds of fantasy women: Catherine Cangiano (with red hat), Linda Pavelka (in blindfold), Terri Richter (bride), Wendy Hill (1920s flapper), Priti Ghandi (with long blue headdress), Luretta Bybee (big pink hat). © Chris Bennion
As Act Two of Parsifal proceeds, Klingsor makes of the desert a beautiful garden... © Chris Bennion
Klingsor’s domain centered around a tower which plummeted 75 feet into the stage floor in less than a second. Here Klingsor (Richard Paul Fink), banished from the world of the grail for his sins by the unforgiving Titurel, forces Kundry (Linda Watson) to do his bidding and seduce the grail knights. © Rozarii Lynch
Greer Grimsely added the tormented Grail King Amfortas to his many great performances in Wagner’s operas. © Rozarii Lynch
British tenor Christopher Ventris made his Seattle Opera debut as Parsifal, the innocent fool made wise by compassion. © Rozarii Lynch
Titurel (Kevin Langan), who founded the order of Grail Knights when angels brought him the sacred vessel and its companion spear, is disgusted by his son, Amfortas (Greer Grimsley). Wounded long ago when he let down his guard to dally with a beautiful woman, Amfortas doesn’t want to perform his office—channeling heaven’s bounty and feeding his knights through the magic of the grail—because every time he opens the grail his wound causes him unbearable agony. © Rozarii Lynch
When Gurnemanz (Stephen Milling) leads Parsifal (Christopher Ventris) to the Grail Temple in Act One, we hear one of the most overwhelming orchestral passages Wagner ever wrote—while we see a transformation onstage involving the equivalent of a drawbridge. 20,000 pounds of scenery flip over, slowly and silently, while the music leads us into the heart of the kingdom. © Chris Bennion
In Parsifal 's first scene, the wise old grail knight Gurnemanz (Stephen Milling) defends the strange, unpleasant Kundry (Linda Watson) from the prejudices of two of the younger knights (Doug Jones and David Adam Moore). But Kundry says they are right to be suspicious of her: “I never help.” © Rozarii Lynch
Gurnemanz (Stephen Milling) looks on as Kundry (Linda Watson) and Parsifal (Christopher Ventris) unite spear and cup to heal the kingdom and bring about a new age for the grail. © Chris Bennion
