PARSIFAL ENTERING THE GRAIL CASTLE IN TRIUMPHCopyright, 1903, by Pach Bros., N. Y.PARSIFAL ENTERING THE GRAIL CASTLE IN TRIUMPH
Copyright, 1903, by Pach Bros., N. Y.
PARSIFAL ENTERING THE GRAIL CASTLE IN TRIUMPH
For the last time Amfortas is borne in, and the brotherhood of the Grail form the possession bearing the sacred relics, which are deposited before him.
The king, in great agony and despair, bewails the death of his father and his own backsliding. With failing but desperate energy he harangues the assembled knights, and, tottering forward, beseeches them to free him from his misery and sin-stained life, and thrust their swords deep into his wounded side. At this moment Gurnemanz, accompanied by Parsifal and Kundry, enter. Parsifal steps forwardwith the sacred spear, now at length to be restored to the knights. He touches the side of Amfortas, the wound is healed, and as he raises the spear on high the point is seen glowing with the crimson glory of the Grail. Then stepping up to the shrine, Parsifal takes the crystal cup, the dark blood glows bright crimson as he holds it on high, and at that moment, while all fall on their knees, and celestial music ("Drink ye all of this") floats in the upper air, Kundry falls back dying, her eyes fixed on the blessed Grail. A white dove descends and hovers for a moment, poised in mid-air above the glowing cup. A soft chorus of angels seems to die away in the clouds beyond the golden dome—
"Marvelous mercy!Victorious Savior!"
"Marvelous mercy!Victorious Savior!"
Words can add nothing to the completeness of the drama, and no words can give any idea of the splendor and complexity of that sound ocean upon which the drama floats from beginning to end.
The enemies of the Grail are destroyed or subdued, the wound they have inflicted is healed, the prey they claimed is rescued; the pure and blameless Parsifal becomes the consecrated head of the holy brotherhood, and the beatic vision of God's eternal love and Real Presence is restored to the knights of the Sangrail.
When I came out of the theater, at the end of the third and last act, it was ten o'clock.
The wind was stirring in the fir-trees, the stars gleamed out fitfully through asky, across which the clouds were hurrying wildly, but the moon rose low and large beyond the shadowy hills, and bathed the misty valleys with a mild and golden radiance as of some celestial dawn.
When the curtain fell on the last performance ofParsifal, at Bayreuth, which, on the 30th of July, 1883, brought the celebration month to a close, the enthusiasm of the audience found full vent in applause. The curtain was once lifted, but no calls would induce the performers to appear a second time or receive any individual homage. This is entirely in accordance with the tone of these exceptional representations. On each occasion the only applause permitted was at the end of the drama, and throughout not a single actoranswered to a call or received any personal tribute.
Behind the scenes occurred a touching incident. The banker Gross led Wagner's children up to the assembled actors, and in the name of their dead father thanked the assembly for the care and labor of love expended by each and all in producing the last work of the great dead master. Siegfried, Wagner's son, thirteen years old, then, in a few simple words, stifled with sobs, thanked the actors personally, and all the children shook hands with them. The King of Bavaria charged himself upon Wagner's death with the education of his son.
The Hour-Glass Stories
A Series of Entertaining NovelettesIllustrated and Issued in Dainty Dress.FIRST SEVEN NOW READYPrice, [Transcriber' Note: Missing text.] net, eachBy Mail [Transcriber' Note: Missing text.]
I.SWEET ANNE PAGEBy ELLEN V. TALBOTA brisk little love story full of fun and frolic and telling of the courtship of Sweet Anne Page by her three lovers.
A brisk little love story full of fun and frolic and telling of the courtship of Sweet Anne Page by her three lovers.
II.THE HERR DOCTORBy ROBERT MACDONALDA crisp, dainty story of the schemes and pretty wiles by which a traveling American heiress wins and is won by a German nobleman.—Minneapolis Times.
II.
THE HERR DOCTOR
By ROBERT MACDONALD
A crisp, dainty story of the schemes and pretty wiles by which a traveling American heiress wins and is won by a German nobleman.—Minneapolis Times.
III.THE TRANSFIGURATION OF MISS PHILURABy FLORENCE MORSE KINGSLEYAuthor of"Titus," "Prisoners of the Sea," etc.This clever story is based on the theory that every physical need and every desire of the human heart can be claimed and received from the "Encircling Good" by the true believer. Miss Philura is enchanted with this creed, adopts it literally, and obtains thereby various blessings of particular value to a timid spinster, including a husband."It is a dainty little story, and quite out of the common."—Philadelphia Daily Evening Telegraph.
III.
THE TRANSFIGURATION OF MISS PHILURA
By FLORENCE MORSE KINGSLEY
Author of"Titus," "Prisoners of the Sea," etc.
This clever story is based on the theory that every physical need and every desire of the human heart can be claimed and received from the "Encircling Good" by the true believer. Miss Philura is enchanted with this creed, adopts it literally, and obtains thereby various blessings of particular value to a timid spinster, including a husband.
"It is a dainty little story, and quite out of the common."—Philadelphia Daily Evening Telegraph.
IV.THE SANDALSBy Rev. ZELOTES GRENELLA beautiful little idyl of Palestine concerning the sandals of Christ. It tells of their wanderings and who were their wearers, from the time that they fell to the lot of a Roman soldier when Christ's garments were parted among his crucifiers to the day when they came back to Mary, the Mother of Jesus.
IV.
THE SANDALS
By Rev. ZELOTES GRENELL
A beautiful little idyl of Palestine concerning the sandals of Christ. It tells of their wanderings and who were their wearers, from the time that they fell to the lot of a Roman soldier when Christ's garments were parted among his crucifiers to the day when they came back to Mary, the Mother of Jesus.
V.PARSIFALBy H. R. HAWEISAn intimate and appreciative description and consideration of Wagner's great opera. Illustrated with portrait of composer and scenes from the opera.
V.
PARSIFAL
By H. R. HAWEIS
An intimate and appreciative description and consideration of Wagner's great opera. Illustrated with portrait of composer and scenes from the opera.
VI.ESARHADDON KING OF ASSYRIABy LEO TOLSTOYThree short stories, allegorical in style, illustrating with homely simplicity, yet with classic charm, Tolstoy's theories of non-resistance and the essential unity of all forms of life.Written for the benefit of the Kishinef sufferers. Publisher's and author's profits go to Kishinef Relief Fund.
VI.
ESARHADDON KING OF ASSYRIA
By LEO TOLSTOY
Three short stories, allegorical in style, illustrating with homely simplicity, yet with classic charm, Tolstoy's theories of non-resistance and the essential unity of all forms of life.
Written for the benefit of the Kishinef sufferers. Publisher's and author's profits go to Kishinef Relief Fund.
VII.THE TROUBLE WOMANBy CLARA MORRISA pathetic, even tragic tale, but one which carries the most optimistic of messages. The unobtrusive moral of the story is that the way to find consolation for one's own trouble is to consider those of others and to lend a helping hand.
VII.
THE TROUBLE WOMAN
By CLARA MORRIS
A pathetic, even tragic tale, but one which carries the most optimistic of messages. The unobtrusive moral of the story is that the way to find consolation for one's own trouble is to consider those of others and to lend a helping hand.
FUNK & WAGNALLS COMPANY, PublishersNEW YORK & LONDON