Act One
At Montsalvat, the knights who once proudly fought for – and were sustained by – their faith are in disarray. Their leader, Amfortas, has been seriously wounded, but only he is capable of unveiling the Holy Grail, which is guarded within the castle. Uncovering the Holy Grail renews the blood kept inside it; this in turn strengthens the entire community. To date, all efforts to find a way of healing Amfortas have failed. Gurnemanz, who already served the community under Amfortas’ father Titurel, strives to maintain the old order, and demands that the traditional rituals be upheld.
The morning routine is interrupted by the arrival of a mysterious woman, who presents Gurnemanz with a balsam intended for Amfortas. Wracked with pain, the latter comes to take his daily bath. The woman is known to him and the older inhabitants of Montsalvat by the name of Kundry. She appears from time to time to offer her help. Amfortas promises to try the balsam, even if he knows that only one thing can help him: relinquishing his office in favour of another. He has long since been assured that an innocent fool, enlightened by pity, will deliver him.
Gurnemanz tells those who have only recently joined the brotherhood about Amfortas and the reason for his suffering. Besides the Grail, his father Titurel entrusted him with the Holy Spear and hence the two most sacred relics of their faith, to which only those who preserve their chastity are permitted to belong. The brotherhood faces a fanatical opponent in Klingsor, who – having emasculated himself in order to uphold his vows of chastity – was rejected by Titurel. Ever since, he has done everything in his power to destroy Amfortas’ followers by having them seduced by amenable girls – they are thus lost to the brotherhood of the Grail. In order to put a stop to Klingsor, Amfortas went to war against him with the Holy Spear. However, he also succumbed to the charms of a woman. Klingsor stole the Spear from him and inflicted the wound that only the Spear itself can close.
Suddenly a swan falls to the ground, mortally wounded. Gurnemanz angrily takes the culprit to task, though the latter is not aware of any guilt. Only when Gurnemanz points out to him the animal’s suffering does the stranger realise what he has done. He knows no answer to Gurnemanz’ questions as to who he is and where he comes from, but Kundry knows his past. Parsifal’s mother brought him up to be a fool in order to spare him the fate of his father, who fell in battle. She died of grief when her child abandoned her. When the youth hears this, he lunges at Kundry in desperation. Only with difficulty can Gurnemanz prevent him from killing her. However, Parsifal’s strange behaviour nurtures Gurnemanz’ hope that this is indeed the fool prophesied to Amfortas. Gurnemanz decides to put Parsifal to the test by having him attend the unveiling of the Grail.
Amfortas longs for nothing more than death, for his torment at having enjoyed sensual pleasures and thus broken the first commandment of the Grail is even greater than the suffering caused by his wound. However, his aged father, though more in need of the strengthening qualities of the Grail than anyone else, forces him to exercise his office. Titurel and the brotherhood greedily refresh themselves with the blood of the Grail, again renewed by Amfortas. In view of the scene that presents itself, which he cannot grasp, the fool whom Gurnemanz had hoped was the Redeemer is incapable of displaying any emotion and is chased away.
Act Two
Klingsor senses the threat posed by the fool who has arrived at Montsalvat. He calls on Kundry for help; she is condemned to wander the world unredeemed until a man is able to resist her. It was she who made Amfortas forget his vows of chastity, and now she is supposed to cause the downfall of the fool chased away by Gurnemanz. Sheltered from the world, the fool has until now also resisted its sensual temptations. Joyfully greeted by Klingsor’s girls, every one of whom wants to win the stranger for herself, the fool remains unmoved. However, when Kundry calls him by name – Parsifal – and tells him about his past, he takes notice.
On the pretext of wanting to give him a last kiss from his mother, she lures him into her arms. But the kiss arouses Parsifal’s senses. He suddenly understands Amfortas’ suffering. Parsifal pushes Kundry away and asks her to show him the way back to Amfortas. Furious at Parsifal’s rejection, Kundry curses him: never shall he find Montsalvat. Klingsor, whom Kundry has called for help, tries to hurl the Holy Spear at Parsifal, but thelatter wrests the weapon from him and leaves Kundry with the words: “You know where you can find me again.”
Act Three
Gurnemanz still clings to the hope that the brotherhood of the Grail founded by Titurel will find a worthy successor, although everything has collapsed about him during the many years of waiting. Kundry, who suddenly appears unexpectedly and seems to him completely changed, reminds him of past times.
A dark, hooded figure approaches, neither greeting nor heeding Gurnemanz, who indignantly demands that the stranger remove his cloak and lay down his weapons according to the custom on Good Friday, which is being celebrated today. When the atter obeys his request, Gurnemanz recognises in him the fool, who is now carrying the Holy Spear. After years of wandering, Parsifal has finally reached his destination. Gurnemanz greets him as Saviour and Redeemer, for there is great suffering on the Gralsburg: Amfortas refuses to unveil the Grail in order to bring about his own death; Titurel has already died. Parsifal collapses amid self-accusations, but Gurnemanz anoints him as the new King. Parsifal’s first act is to baptise Kundry. Gurnemanz then leads him to Amfortas, who is supposed to uncover the Grail once more at the funeral ceremony for Titurel. However, Amfortas refuses to do so and demands to be killed. Parsifal touches his wound with the Spear; the wound closes at last, and Parsifal unveils the Grail.
