Parsifal discography

This is a partial discography of Parsifal, an opera in three acts by Richard Wagner.

Parsifal was expressly composed for the stage at Bayreuth and many of the most famous recordings of the opera come from live performances on that stage. In the pre-LP era, Karl Muck conducted excerpts from the opera at Bayreuth which are still considered some of the best performances of the opera on disc (they also contain the only sound evidence of the bells constructed for the work's premiere, which were later melted down by the Nazis during World War II). Hans Knappertsbusch was the conductor most closely associated with Parsifal at Bayreuth in the post-war years, and the performances under his baton in 1951 marked the re-opening of the Bayreuth Festival after the Second World War. These historic performances were recorded in mono sound, originally issued but now no longer available on the Teldec label, and reissued in 2003 on Naxos Historical. Knappertsbusch recorded the opera again for Philips in 1962 in stereo, and this release is often considered to be the classic Parsifal recording. There are also many "unofficial" live recordings from Bayreuth, capturing virtually every Parsifal cast ever conducted by Knappertsbusch.

Amongst the studio recordings, those by Georg Solti, Herbert von Karajan and Daniel Barenboim (the latter two both conducting the Berlin Philharmonic) have been widely praised. The von Karajan recording was voted "Record of the Year" in the 1981 Gramophone Awards. Also highly regarded is a recording of Parsifal under the baton of Rafael Kubelík. Originally recorded for Deutsche Grammophon but never released, it is now available on the Arts Archives label.

On the Saturday 14 December 2013 broadcast of BBC 3'S CD Review – Building a Library, music critic David Nice surveyed recordings of Parsifal and recommended the 1980 recording by the Symphonieorchester des Bayerischen Rundfunks, Rafael Kubelik (conductor), as the best available choice.

Audio recordings

Year	Cast (Parsifal, Kundry, Gurnemanz, Amfortas, Klingsor)	Conductor, Opera house and/or orchestra	Label	Catalogue number
1949	Günther Treptow, Anny Konetzni, Ludwig Weber, Paul Schöffler, Adolf Vogel	Rudolf Moralt, Wiener Symphoniker	Myto (Mono)	4MCD 954.136
1950, Italian	Alfrico Baldelli, Maria Callas, Boris Christoff, Rolando Panerai, Giuseppe Modesti	Vittorio Gui, Orchestra Sinfonica e Coro di Roma della RAI	Cetra (Mono)	CDAR 2020
1951	Wolfgang Windgassen, Martha Mödl, Ludwig Weber, George London, Hermann Uhde	Hans Knappertsbusch, Bayreuth Festival Orchestra, Bayreuth Festival Chorus	Naxos Historical (Mono)	8.110221-24
1954	Wolfgang Windgassen, Martha Mödl, Josef Greindl, Hans Hotter, Gustav Neidlinger	Hans Knappertsbusch, Bayreuth Festival Orchestra, Bayreuth Festival Chorus	Golden Melodram	GM 1.0053
1958	Eberhard Wächter, Régine Crespin, Josef Greindl, Hans Beirer, Jerome Hines	Hans Knappertsbusch, Bayreuth Festival Orchestra, Bayreuth Festival Chorus	Golden Melodram	GM 1.0058
1959	Eberhard Wächter, Martha Mödl, Josef Greindl, Hans Beirer, Jerome Hines	Hans Knappertsbusch, Bayreuth Festival Orchestra, Bayreuth Festival Chorus	Golden Melodram	GM 1.0070
1961	Fritz Uhl, Elisabeth Höngen/Christa Ludwig, Hans Hotter, Eberhard Waechter, Walter Berry	Herbert von Karajan, Vienna State Opera Orchestra, Vienna State Opera Chorus	RCA	61950
1962	Jess Thomas, Irene Dalis, Hans Hotter, George London, Gustav Neidlinger	Hans Knappertsbusch, Bayreuth Festival Orchestra, Bayreuth Festival Chorus	Philips Classics	475 7785
1963	George London, Ludwig Weber, Hans Hotter, Wolfgang Windgassen, Gustav Neidlinger, Irene Dalis	Hans Knappertsbusch, Bayreuth Festival Orchestra, Bayreuth Festival Chorus	Golden Melodram	GM L0034
1964	Jon Vickers, Barbro Ericson, Hans Hotter, Thomas Stewart, Gustav Neidlinger	Hans Knappertsbusch, Bayreuth Festival Orchestra, Bayreuth Festival Chorus	Arcadia	KLMP 451.4
1970	James King, Gwyneth Jones, Franz Crass, Thomas Stewart, Donald McIntyre	Pierre Boulez, Bayreuth Festival Orchestra, Bayreuth Festival Chorus	Deutsche Grammophon	435718
1972	René Kollo, Christa Ludwig, Gottlob Frick, Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau, Zoltan Kelemen	Georg Solti, Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra, Vienna State Opera Chorus Konzertvereinigung, Vienna Boys' Choir	Decca	470805
1976	René Kollo, Gisela Schröter, Ulrik Cold, Theo Adam, Reid Bunger	Herbert Kegel Leipzig Radio Symphony Orchestra and chorus	Berlin/VEB Deutsche Schallplatten DDR	0013482BC
1979–1980	Peter Hofmann, Dunja Vejzović, Kurt Moll, José van Dam, Siegmund Nimsgern	Herbert von Karajan, Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra, Berlin Deutsche Oper Chorus	Deutsche Grammophon	413347
1980	James King, Yvonne Minton, Kurt Moll, Bernd Weikl, Franz Mazura	Rafael Kubelík Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra	Arts Archives	430272
1981	Reiner Goldberg, Yvonne Minton, Robert Lloyd, Wolfgang Schoene, Aage Haugland	Armin Jordan Monte Carlo Radio Orchestra	Erato	2292-45662-2
1985	Warren Ellsworth, Waltraud Meier, Phillip Joll, Donald McIntyre, Nicholas Folwell	Reginald Goodall Welsh National Opera Chorus & Orchestra	EMI	65665
1987	Peter Hofmann, Waltraud Meier, Hans Sotin, Simon Estes, Franz Mazura	James Levine Bayreuth Festspielhaus orchestra and chorus	Philips	434 616-2
1990	Siegfried Jerusalem, Waltraud Meier, Matthias Holle, José van Dam, Gunter von Kannen	Daniel Barenboim, Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra, Berlin State Opera Chorus	Teldec	74448
1993	Plácido Domingo, Jessye Norman, Kurt Moll, James Morris, Ekkehard Wlaschiha	James Levine, Metropolitan Opera Orchestra, Metropolitan Opera Chorus	Deutsche Grammophon	437501
2005	Plácido Domingo, Waltraud Meier, Franz-Josef Selig, Falk Struckmann, Wolfgang Bankl	Christian Thielemann Vienna State Opera Orchestra and chorus	Deutsche Grammophon	4776006
2005	Richard Decker, Doris Soffel, Wolfgang Schöne, Matthias Hölle, Mikolaj Zalasinski	Gabor Ötvös Teatro La Fenice Orchestra and chorus	Dynamic (record label)	33497
2009	Gary Lehman, Violeta Urmana, René Pape, Evgeny Nikitin, Nikolai Putilin	Valery Gergiev Orchestra and chorus of the Mariinsky Theatre	Issued on hybrid SACD: Mariinsky, 2009	n/a
2012	Christian Elsner, Michelle DeYoung, Franz-Josef Selig, Evgeny Nikitin, Eike Wilm Schulte	Marek Janowski Rundfunkchor Berlin and Rundfunk-Sinfonieorchester Berlin	Pentatone Marek Janowski Wagner Opera Cycle	PTC5186401

Video recordings

This is a partial filmography of Parsifal (1882), an opera in three acts by Richard Wagner. In addition to the productions of the complete opera listed below, there is a 1998 documentary directed by Tony Palmer, titled: Parsifal – The Search for the Grail. It was recorded in various European theaters, including: the Mariinsky Theatre, the Ravello Festival, Siena, and the Bayreuth Festival. It contains extracts from Mr. Palmer's stage production of Parsifal starring Plácido Domingo, Violeta Urmana, Matti Salminen, Nikolai Putilin and Anna Netrebko. It includes interviews with Domingo, Wolfgang Wagner, Robert Gutman and Karen Armstrong. The film exists in two versions: (1) a complete version running 116 minutes and officially approved by Domingo, and (2) an 88-minute version, cut as a result of being censored in Germany as being too "political", "uncomfortable" and "irrelevant".

	Cast (Parsifal, Kundry, Gurnemanz, Amfortas, Klingsor, Titurel)	Conductor, Opera house, orchestra	Stage director	Label / Cat. #
1981	Siegfried Jerusalem, Eva Randová, Hans Sotin, Bernd Weikl, Leif Roar, Matti Salminen	Horst Stein, Orchester der Bayreuther Festspiele	Wolfgang Wagner	DG Unitel / 0734328
1982	Reiner Goldberg, Yvonne Minton, Robert Lloyd, Wolfgang Schöne, Aage Haugland, Hans Tschammer	Armin Jordan, Monte-Carlo Philharmonic Orchestra	Hans-Jürgen Syberberg	Image Entertainment / n/a. This film was released theatrically with the following actors appearing on the screen in place of the singers – Parsifal 1: Michael Kutter, Parsifal 2: Karen Krick, Kundry: Edith Clever, Amfortas: Armin Jordan, Titurel: Martin Sperr.
1992	Poul Elming, Waltraud Meier, John Tomlinson, Falk Struckmann, Günter von Kannen, Fritz Hübner	Daniel Barenboim, Chor der Deutschen Staatsoper & Staatskapelle Berlin	Harry Kupfer	EuroArts / 2066738
1993	Siegfried Jerusalem, Waltraud Meier, Kurt Moll, Bernd Weikl, Franz Mazura, Jan-Hendrik Rootering	James Levine, Metropolitan Opera Orchestra & Chorus	Otto Schenk	DG / 0730329 DVD direction: Brian Large
1998	Poul Elming, Linda Watson, Hans Sotin, Falk Struckmann, Ekkehard Wlaschiha, Matthias Hölle	Giuseppe Sinopoli, Orchestra of the Bayreuther Festspiele	Wolfgang Wagner	C Major / 705908
2004	Christopher Ventris, Waltraud Meier, Matti Salminen, Thomas Hampson, Tom Fox, Bjarni Thor Kristinsson	Kent Nagano, Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester Berlin, Festspielchor Baden-Baden	Nikolaus Lehnhoff	Opus Arte / OA0915D
2006	Richard Decker, Doris Soffel, Matthias Hölle, Wolfgang Schöne, Mikolaj Zalasinski, Ulrich Dünnebach	Gabor Ötvös, Orchestra and Chorus of Teatro La Fenice di Venezia	Denis Krief	Dynamic / 33497
2007	Christopher Ventris, Yvonne Naef, Matti Salminen, Michael Volle, Rolf Haunstein, Günther Groissböck	Bernard Haitink, Zurich Opera House	Hans Hollmann	DG / 0734407
2013	Johan Botha, Michaela Schuster, Stephen Milling, Wolfgang Koch, Wolfgang Koch, Milcho Borovinov	Christian Thielemann, Salzburg Easter Festival, Staatskapelle Dresden	Michael Schulz	DG / 0734939 DVD – DG – 0735036 Blu-ray
2014	Simon O'Neill, Angela Denoke, René Pape, Gerald Finley, Willard White, Robert Lloyd	Antonio Pappano, Royal Opera House, Orchestra of the Royal Opera House	Stephen Langbridge	2-DVD set: Opus Arte, ASIN: B00O2YFDLG

References

Notes

Sources

• Brown, Jonathan (1992). Parsifal on Record : a discography of complete recordings, selections, and excerpts of Wagner's music drama (Westport, Conn.: Greenwood Press). ISBN 0313285411
• Monsalvat.no discography, accessed 12 May 2009