R. has the first scene rehearsal;[1] he is more satisfied with Mr Labatt[2] than he had expected, but the Wolfram (Mr Bignio[3]) causes him unheard-of trouble. In the evening we go together to “Andréa”, an exceedingly poor play by Sardou, though very prettily acted by Mrs Niemann[4]. Later we spent the evening with her at Director Jauner’s,[5] discussing the Bayreuth follies of her husband — I believe this madness, too, is now at an end!
[1] To Tannhäuser.
[2] Leonard Labatt (1838-1897), singer, 1868-82 at the Vienna Court Opera.
[3] Louis Bignio (1839-1907), singer, at the Vienna Court Opera since 1863.
[4] Hedwig Niemann-Raabe (1844-1905), singer.
[5] To add “with Mrs Jauner”; Jauner had published an essay “Visit to Richard Wagner in Bayreuth” in the Neue Freie Presse, Vienna, on July 21, 1875.
Revised English translation by Jo Cousins.