News 9-24

Anthroposophy in Hawkes Bay

Sunday 3 March                           Week 9-24

Coming Events

Calendar of Coming Events

In the Rudolf Steiner Centre, 401 Whitehead Road, Hastings
unless stated otherwise.

• Thursday 7 March. 5:30 pm.  Branch Committee meeting.
• Friday 8 March 7 pm. Leading Thoughts 72-75 on page 46'
• Saturday 23 March.  7 to 9 pm. Autumn Festival
• Saturday 6 April 9:30 to noon. The School of Spiritual Science.  Mantra 13
• Saturday 13 April 2 pm.  Annual General Meeting of the Hawkes Bay Branch of the Anthroposophical Society**
• Friday 19 April. 7 pm. The Libretto of Wagner's Parsifal **
• Weekend 4-5 May. Annual Conference of Anthroposophical Society in NZ.  To be held in Taikura School as main venue.** 
  Guest speaker: Ueli Hurter, Goetheanum, Switzerland. 
  More details now on https://www.anthroposophy.org.nz/.
  ********************************   

Community Notices.  Send contributions to the Editor, info@anthrohb.nz before 2 pm on the Saturday prior.  Robin Bacchus

The Libretto of Wagner’s Parsifal

Friday, 19 April at the Centre

7.00 p.m. Gathering, hot drink and snacks

7.30 p.m.  John Allison will introduce us to Rudolf Steiner’s words about Richard Wagner's “Parsifal”.  

Wagner called it “Ein Buehnen-Weihe-Festspiel” --
“A Festival of Consecration (Ordination) performed on the stage.”

7:45 p.m. Eva Knausenberger will give a talk on Wagner’s Libretto.

While the sacred side of the opera – the Mystery of the Holy Grail – centres around the redeeming and healing power of Christ’s blood in the chalice of the Grail, Eva’s talk will focus on the dramatic side of Parsifal’s journey as a representive of the human developmental path through life; its temptations – even addictions – its sorrows, yearnings and the struggle to remain morally upright and compassionate.

When speaking of the Mystery of the Holy Grail, Rudolf Steiner said¹, “.... hardly has anyone even come so near to this Mystery as Wagner did.  It is indeed the power with which he approaches this mystery that constitutes his greatness as an artist.  We must not think of him merely as a musician, but as one who possesses deep knowledge and understanding.  With the opera Parsifal he wants to resurrect the knowledge of the Mystery of the Holy Grail for the people of our time.”

¹This extract is from The Secret of the Grail in the Works of Richard Wagner, by Rudolf Steiner, 29 July 1906 (Lecture 24 from the lecture series, Christian Mystery)
https://rsarchive.org/Lectures/GA097/English/CMP2000/19060729p02.html

You can read an English version of Wagner’s Parsifal libretto here.

Annual General Meeting: Saturday 13 April at 2 pm.  That is 7 weeks away.

Now is the time to be asking yourself if you are prepared to volunteer to join the Centre Committe that cares for the Rudolf Steiner Centre, or more importantly, to be an Event organiser.

John Jackson organises seasonal Festivals, but at present we have no Event Organisers - a small group of people who are prepared to plan, organise and arrange a varied schedule of events from concerts to talks to displays in the Centre. 

The life of the society thrives when members have opportunities to meet fellow members and friends.

If you have any questions, please contact   info@anthrohb.nz  

 E ngaki ana a mua e tōtō ana a muri.

Activities

The Editor would like to invite all those who are running, or wishing to create, a  Study Group, or who are offering Training Courses or Seminars on Anthroposophical themes to announce in the Newsletter details of what they are doing when, and how those interested in participating can make contact. 

If you are wishing to find others who may like to join you in forming a group for some purpose, please send details to:  info@anthrohb.nz 

THREEFOLDING

Generosity is not a loan to repay or a debt to settle. It's a gift to appreciate.