Parsifal

The story is set in a vague future, in the aftermath of a catastrophe that has caused humanity to lose its faith. A sect-like group of men has formed a Grail community. Their leader, Amfortas, is unable to perform the vital ritual of the Holy Communion, having lost his belief in its power. A stranger intrudes upon the community and seizes the sacrificial offering. The priest Gurnemanz explains that no life should be taken deliberately and questions the stranger about his identity and origin—but receives no answer. When confronted with the dead offering, the stranger feels no guilt. The only woman present, Kundry, seems to know him. When she tells him of his mother’s death, he begins to feel a sense of guilt. Gurnemanz believes the stranger might be the long-awaited redeemer and takes him to witness the unveiling of the Grail. The stranger watches the empty ritual with astonishment—it offers fulfillment to the community but only brings pain to Amfortas. He fails to ask the crucial question that would lead to salvation. Disappointed, Gurnemanz sends him away. Since he is only a “pure fool,” he cannot yet be the savior.

The stranger now confronts the tormented Klingsor, who, struggling with his own desires, also seeks redemption. Klingsor’s "Flower Maidens" desperately try to seduce the stranger, appealing to his compassion, until Kundry addresses him by name: Parsifal.