Rehearsals without end; for my part, occupation with the costumes — unprofitable, inasmuch as there is no time to bring forth anything truly beautiful. In the evening saw “Carmen” [1] with R.; thereafter I went to the artists’ soirée. Much tastelessness.
[1] ). “I am convinced that Carmen will be the most popular opera in the world in ten years,” wrote Pyotr Tchaikovsky (as a music critic) after the very coolly received premiere in Paris.
On October 23, 1875, the opera was finally premiered in German in Vienna; from then on, its international triumphal march was unstoppable.
In the archive of the Vienna State Opera (then the Court Opera), ➝ the cast list of November 6 can be found.
Revised English translation by Jo Cousins.