On 26 and 27 January, Pablo Heras-Casado conducts for the first time the Orquesta de Extremadura to present Parsifal, Richard Wagner’s last opera. Both concerts, sold out since September, are performed at the Palacio de Congresos de Badajoz. The first act of the concert version is presented on Thursday and the second and third acts is continued the following day. 

The cast includes Christopher Ventris featuring in his signature role of Parsifal, Allison Cook appears as Kundry in a role debut, Raimund Nolte sings Gurnemanz, bass Javier Castañeda sings Titurel, and Derek Welton appears both as Klingsor and makes his role debut as Amfortas.

Parsifal premiered in Bayreuth on 26 July 1882, six months before Wagner’s death. Maestro Heras-Casado will open this year’s festival in the Wagnerian temple with a new production of this masterwork. 

Pablo Heras-Casado began his Wagnerian journey in 2016 with Der fliegende Holländer at the Teatro Real and last year he ended the Der Ring des Nibelungen in Madrid.