On 'Parsifal' - the Will and Redemption

Dr Mastrogiovanni has provided the following:

Wagner’s concluding treatise to the world is surmised in his final composition, ‘Parsifal’.

Unique, compared to all his other works and yet a culmination of them. Lecturing on an aspect of his book, “Parsifal: The Will and Redemption,” Dr. John, in Wagner’s own words, opens the philosophical and spiritual concepts communicated. Originally confined to the Bayreuth Festival, “…there alone may ‘Parsifal’ be presented now and always: never shall Parsifal be offered in any other theater as an amusement for its audience…” (Wagner, 28 September 1880) Wagner very pointedly addressed Religion, the Age of Enlightenment and his convictions for the redemption of the human soul.

As a young boy Dr. John, living in New York, was first exposed to Wagner by his father at the age of five. From that moment he began a passionate love for Wagner’s works. At nine he began marking the piano scores of the operas, outlining the leitmotifs. By the age of fifteen he experienced his first Ring at the MET with Jess Thomas as Siegfried and Birgit Nilsson as Brünnhilde. Being strongly influenced by Wagner’s music, at twelve he picked up the French Horn (he just had to play Siegfried’s horn call) and played for six years. Nevertheless, he perfected the craft enough that prior to finishing high school he participated in a special gathering at the University of Hartfort and had the privilege of playing with several hornists, including the legendary Barry Tuckwell. With the influence of Wagner’s message of redemption of the human condition, he became an ordained minister in 1983 and in 1985 founded Oasis of the Valley in Monrovia, California.

He has also written and published six books including one on Wagner’s final musical treatise called, “Parsifal: The Will and Redemption.”

Dr. John has been a member of the Wagner Society of Southern California since 1990 and has assisted the society in many areas. Since May 2010, Dr. John has taken the helm as Chairman and continued the legacy afforded to him locally, and in particular, taking members to the Bayreuth Festival annually. One of the key mandates that Dr. Sloan, the previous President, gave him was to “continue the Gala Dinners at the Festival” which feature many of the performers of the Festival and members of the Wagner societies from around the world.

We acknowledge Dr John's generosity in making time to speak with us over Zoom.

ZOOM link will be emailed 24h before event.

PHOTO CREDIT - Royal Swedish Opera