For a nanosecond, when I turned on the Met broadcast today, I wondered
what "Lohengrin" is doing on KUSF-FM.  Immediately recognizing "Parsifal,"
although still humming "Mein lieber Schwann," my thoughts turned to the
swan connection between the two operas.

Why would the son of one opera's swan-killer's use the same bird (the
same species, not the specific creature, unless we are dealing with
resurrection...  but let's not go there) as a transportation/transformation
device in another opera?

Why would Gurnemanz tell the young fool to switch birds: "In the future,
leave our swans in peace, go seek - you gander - for geese!" What do
the swan-goose differences signify?  What is the role of Mrs.  Parsifal,
Lohengrin's mom - Condwiramurs - in these ornithological manipulations?

Apparently, Mathilde Wesendonk had the same concerns, but her thoughts
went to the Indian roots of "Parzival" - "[Devadatta, cousin to the
future Buddha,] with an arrow shoots a goose (Sanskrit: hamsa), which
falls down in the vicinity of the future Buddha.  The latter sharply
reproaches Devadatta, heals the goose and refuses to accept Devadatta's
demand that it should be given up to him, on the argument that he has a
better claim to the goose than Devadatta could have, on account of the
merit he had acquired in countless incarnations."

Well, I *tried* not to go there...

Janos Gereben/SF
www.sfcv.org
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