Parsifal and The Muppet Movie are the only two genuine Gesamtkunstwerke

Philip Walford Jul 18, 2026 1 Share As the only two genuine examples of the Wagnerian Gesamtkunstwerk , it’s unsurprising that Parsifal and The Muppet Movie exhibit certain commonalities. The echoes are nevertheless striking. Two holy fools, called from pastoral repose to gather a scattered brotherhood; a pair of temptresses cursed by arrogance to remain rootless; redemption only achieved through benediction by God or Orson Welles. It’s been a while since I’ve seen it performed, so I don’t remember if Parsifal has anyone who kills frogs with a spear gun.

And it isn’t only the plots that rhyme. Parsifal takes its heraldic laments and turns them into a soft bed of descending harps and strings until a final transfigured restatement of the Dresden Amen absolves audience and players alike. In The Muppet Movie the musical motif also comes full circle: wistfulness resolves into communion and Kermit addresses us through a rainbow.

Note: For more than a decade before my daughter was born, I listened to Parsifal almost weekly. For the past year I have watched The Muppet Movie almost daily.

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