Quiz Quest – Parsifal Out West

What is the most performed excerpt in Parsifal’s history?

A) Act I - Amfortas’ lament
B) Act II - Flowermaiden scene
C) Act III - Good Friday Spell

Answer: C) Good Friday Spell

The serene and luminous “Good Friday Spell” has been the most frequently performed excerpt from Parsifal since the late 19th century, often presented in concerts long before full productions were staged outside Bayreuth. That was true in San Francisco, where it became the first music from Parsifal heard here in 1885. The popularity of the “Good Friday Spell” is fitting: Wagner was inspired to write Parsifal after waking one sunny Good Friday and recalling the connection between the day and the epic poem of Parzifal he had read many years earlier.

Visit the North Grand Tier (2nd Floor) to discover more about the history of Parsifal in San Francisco and view the virtual exhibit at the link below.

Virtual Exhibit

Continue your search…test your Parsifal knowledge with the full quiz below
      Full Quiz