Category: Cosima Wagner Diaries

Not very good news concerning the concert—the receipts are expected to be rather meagre. At lunch, we are visited by Baron Hofmann and Director Jauner;[1] the former has, indeed, reshaped the operatic affairs much in accordance with R.’s own ideas. Richter, now Kapellmeister there upon R.’s recommendation, also makes his…

R. speaks of a possible performance of “Tannhäuser” in Vienna, with Materna, then Venus, “not the one born of sea-foam, but rather one smoked like a sea-foam pipe.” — At twelve o’clock, the burial of Rus; when I inform Fidi of the dog’s passing, he exclaims, “Ah, dear God in…

R. insists that I come with him to Vienna, I would like to stay home to watch over the house. He is composing the concert finale for “Hagen's watch”,[1] which cheers him up. In the afternoon, we visit the theater; a renewed, dreadful impression—the earthworks have made no progress, all…

Good night for R., thank God he looks very well; much unrest in the house. In the afternoon, a walk in the Hofgarten, a visit to the mayor, discussions about accommodation, a great hardness of hearing. In the evening, a friendly chat with R. about the children and what might…

At 8 o’clock arrived in Bayreuth! The children at the station, happy and well. We were both in need of much sleep. In the evening, Feustel, tells us of a strange encounter with privy councillor Düfflipp, who could not have been more rude to him! …  In contrast, in Vienna,…

Preparations for departure; visit to Menzel, whose brother-in-law greets us with notes from “Götterdämmerung”; looked through portfolios. At one o’clock, lunch at the hotel with Lothar Bucher, much laughter about Mommsen, and the dishonest actions of him and other scholars regarding the Lauenburg affair.[1] We talked about the Prince, whose…