Oliver Huckel (1864–1940)

"Wagner's music is better than it sounds..." said Mark Twain.

He also said about Parsifal: "The first act of three occupied two hours, and I enjoyed that in spite of the singing. . . . Singing! It does seem the wrong name to apply to it. Strictly described, it is a practicing of difficult and unpleasant intervals, mainly."

Unfortunately, I agree. But I became interested in Wagner's Parsifal while I watched a movie which did not really source its claims very well, entitled "The Occult History of the Third Reich."

This movie claimed Hitler wanted the religion of Germania to be based on Wagner's Parsifal.

Reading this book, I can understand the power of the opera. The book is in English, and follows the plot of Parsifal and the Holy Grail.

The story is set with the knights who guard the grail, attending to their king who was wounded by the spear that struck Jesus' side, which was stolen by a knight-turned-villain.

It ends with Parsifal's return after many years to return the spear.

My rating comes because of my understanding of the opera through this translation.

Whether this opera influenced Hitler in the way presented, I don't know. I can understand the claim after I read the book.

I recommend it to anyone interested in this study.… (mehr)