WEDNESDAY 4 FEBRUARY 2026

At 12.00pm [AEDT]
on Wednesday 4 February 2026
in a zoom from Bavaria

Dr Thomas Launius
will give a presentation on
Parsifal: The Mythological sources of the masterpiece

$12 AUD

PAYMENT DETAILS TO COME

For those who are unable to participate in the LIVE talk, 
we will forward a link soon after to those who have registered, 
to view the talk at their convenience.

ABOUT DR THOMAS LAUNIUS 

Thomas Launius was born into a military family and spent his early years living in England, Germany, Japan, and the United States. He came of age in Louisiana and earned a degree in Physics from Louisiana State University, along with a minor in Vocal Performance. Trained as a tenor, he sang in university and regional opera productions for five years before turning to the academic study of story and symbol. He later earned a doctorate in Mythology and spent over three decades as a professional storyteller and speaker. In 2017, Thomas fulfilled a lifelong dream by relocating to Bavaria, not far from Munich. Since 2019, he has worked as a professional tour guide, specialising in historically rich and mythologically resonant experiences throughout Munich, Salzburg, and especially Neuschwanstein Castle – the fairytale fortress built by King Ludwig II as a tribute to Richard Wagner. Drawing on his background in mythology, music, and narrative craft, Thomas creates immersive tours that bring to life the operatic vision behind the castle’s creation and illuminate the deep connections between Wagner’s works and the cultural landscape of Bavaria.

ABOUT THE PRESENTATION

Richard Wagner, like the great storytellers of Europe before him, drew on a rich tapestry of legends and spiritual traditions to create Parsifal. He sensed that the beliefs of his own time no longer spoke to the deepest needs of the human soul, and so he imagined an alternative world — one woven from Celtic Grail legends, medieval fairy tales, Buddhist insight, and even ideas that anticipate modern depth psychology. This presentation explores Parsifal as Wagner’s response to a changing world: a drama of healing, compassion, and transformation that reaches beyond religion to the timeless language of myth. Using perspectives from mythological studies, Dr. Thomas Launius will open up new ways of hearing and seeing Wagner’s final and most profound work.