The first thing you notice is the shimmering, transparent quality to the recorded sound. Every orchestral detail is clear and evident, right from the earliest, shimmering repeat of the “love feast” theme at the start of the Prelude, and the power of the orchestral climaxes—bells and all—resonates thrillingly in the big moments in the Grail Hall.

…the playing of the Mariinsky orchestra is superb. They understand fully that this is a work that inhabits a number of different worlds and interpretations at once, and they shade their playing to match that…with Gergiev at the helm, and with such excellent sound, they can give any of their western colleagues a serious run for their money.

The cast are excellent too. Anchoring the set is the richly authoritative Gurnemanz of René Pape. He sings the role with gravitas and a grizzled sense of stature, but never a hint of age or of being past it. This is a knight who, in the first act at least, is still vigorous and capable of heroic deeds.

As Parsifal, Gary Lehmann grows admirably into the role as he personifies its different stages.

At the centre of it all is Gergiev, and here he shows himself to be a master with this score, every bit as much as in Walküre. He conducts with surety but is also unafraid to impose his own individuality onto the score.

This recording of Wagner’s final music-drama is a revelation and well worth exploring. © MusicWeb International Read complete review