Editing Parsifal (section)

===Act 3===

Prelude to act 3 – ''Parsifals Irrfahrt'' (''Parsifal's Wandering'')

Musical introduction of c. 4–6 minutes.

''Scene 1''

The scene takes place many years later. Gurnemanz is now aged and bent, living alone as a hermit. It is Good Friday. He hears moaning near his hut and finds Kundry lying unconscious in the brush, just as he had many years before ("Sie! Wieder da!"). He revives her using water from the Holy Spring, but she will only speak the word "serve" ("Dienen"). Looking into the forest, Gurnemanz sees a figure approaching, armed and in full armour. The stranger removes his helmet and Gurnemanz recognizes the lad who shot the swan; to his amazement the knight also bears the Holy Spear.

[[File:Van Dyck Materna.jpg|thumb|upright=1.2|left|[[Amalie Materna]] as Kundry with [[Ernest van Dyck]] as Parsifal in act 3, scene 1, Bayreuth 1889]]

Kundry washes Parsifal's feet and Gurnemanz anoints him with water from the Holy Spring, recognizing him as the pure fool, now enlightened by compassion and freed from guilt through purifying suffering, and proclaims him the foretold new king of the knights of the Grail.

Parsifal looks about and comments on the beauty of the meadow. Gurnemanz explains that today is [[Good Friday]], when all the world is purified and renewed.

A dark orchestral interlude leads into the solemn gathering of the knights.

Orchestral interlude – ''Verwandlungsmusik'' (''Transformation music'') – ''Titurels Totenfeier'' (''Titurel's Funeral March'')

''Scene 2''

[[File:Parsifal 1882 Act3 Joukowsky NGO4p119.jpg|thumb|upright=1.2|End of act 3 in the original 1882 production (according to a painting by [[Theodor Pixis]]), original design by [[Paul von Joukowsky]]]]

Within the Castle of the Grail, Titurel's funeral is to take place. Mourning processions of knights bring the deceased Titurel in a coffin and the Grail in its shrine, as well as Amfortas on his litter, to the Grail hall ({{lang|de|"Geleiten wir im bergenden Schrein"|italic=no}}). The knights desperately urge Amfortas to keep his promise and at least once more, for the very last time uncover the Grail again, but Amfortas, in a frenzy, says he will never again show the Grail, as doing so would just prolong his unbearable torment. Instead, he commands the knights to kill him and end with his suffering also the shame he has brought on the brotherhood. At this moment, Parsifal appears and declares only one weapon can help here: only the same spear that inflicted the wound can now close it ({{lang|de|"Nur eine Waffe taugt"|italic=no}}). He touches Amfortas' side with the Holy Spear and both heals the wound and absolves him from sin. The spear, now reunited with the Holy Grail, starts to bleed with the same divine blood that is contained within the sacred chalice. Extolling the virtue of compassion and blessing Amfortas' suffering for making a pure fool knowing, Parsifal replaces Amfortas in his kingly office and orders to unveil the Grail, which is never to be hidden again. As the Grail glows ever brighter with light and a white dove descends from the top of the dome and hovers over Parsifal's head, a ''chorus mysticus'' of all the knights praises the miracle of salvation ({{lang|de|"Höchsten Heiles Wunder!"|italic=no}}) and proclaims the redemption of the Redeemer ({{lang|de|"Erlösung dem Erlöser!"|italic=no}}). Kundry, also at the very last released from her curse and redeemed, slowly sinks lifeless to the ground with her gaze resting on Parsifal, who raises the Grail in blessing over the worshipping knighthood.