Schlingensief takes Wagner's Christian story to a whole new plain, encompassing African and Asian religious elements in addition to pagan Christian symbols. The Knights of the Grail cover all religions, signifying that the message is indeed universal. African fertility rites serve as the grail ritual in Act 1, preceded by Hieros Gamos type sex rituals for the transformation scene. The religious symbols are always there and become increasingly Christian towards the end, but this is only a part of the story.

Set in an African shantytown the sense of decay and desolation is evident from the outset. The stage pictures are complex yet relevant, and the sense of serenity and beauty that the projections provide cannot be under estimated. The much-maligned rabbits are symbols for Amfortas and the Knights of the Grail, with the potent video of the decomposing rabbit at the end of the opera reflecting the fact that Amfortas has found salvation in death and that his body is returning to the earth.

Arguably the symbolism and imagery are laid on so thick that they are simply too intellectual for the average operagoer. That may be so, but with so much happening at the same time it is the subliminal experience that provides the greatest impact. The stage pictures evoke a memory here, or an emotion there. At this level it is remarkably lucid and often profoundly beautiful. It is pointless to try and question every choice that Schlingensief makes, for example why he chose to symbolise Amfortas with a rabbit.

Despite the basic ugliness of the scenery, Schlingensief and his set designers (Daniel Angermayr and Thomas Goerge) and video designer (Meika Dresenkamp) have been able to create some remarkably beautiful stage pictures. The Grail scenes at the ends of Act 1 and Act 3 are particularly evocative. The only disappointment was that Schlingensief chose not to make more of the scene in the magic flower garden. Surely the opportunity existed to show that life does have beautiful elements in it as well.

While Schlingensief's production is decidedly radical, then so is Boulez's interpretation of Wagner's sublime score. Stripped of its quasi-religious excesses Boulez finds a transcendental translucence in the score, with a lightness of touch that allows everything to be heard with absolute clarity. The wonderful acoustics in the Festspielhaus at Bayreuth certainly help, but nothing can diminish the contribution of Boulez and the orchestra. He received a standing ovation, deservedly so.

The cast was universally strong. Alfons Eberz as Parsifal possesses a true heldentenor voice that rings out strongly when required. He acted somewhat rudimentarily, looking bewildered for most of the time. Maybe no one had told him what is going on! Michelle De Young as a multi-faceted Kundry was powerful in her Act 2 encounter with Parsifal with thrilling top notes. John Wegner repeated his tour-de-force Klingsor from 2004, his dark, menacing voice ideally suited to this role. Robert Holl was a benevolent sweet-voiced Gurnemanz, while Alexander Marco-Buhrmester gave a strongly projected account of Amfortas.

At the end of the opera Amfortas finds salvation in death. His flash back is over. We are finally presented briefly with a blank stage showing Parsifal walking towards a bright light having found enlightenment. It is a potent image at the end of an evening that attacks the senses in every imaginable way. This Parsifal will surely be a classic to those who are prepared to close their eyes on every other production they have seen, and open them to Schlingensief's remarkable vision. It is music theatre at its most challenging and inspiring and deserves to be more widely understood.