Category: #countdown1876

Concert at noon – a fine impression; “Hagen’s Watch” was repeated. R., however, is fatigued. Thereafter I visited, in the company of Prince Liechtenstein and Herr Standhartner, the picture gallery and the exhibition of flowers. – In the evening, Semper, very interesting, he literally comes alive in R.’s presence: a…

At rehearsal, “Hagen’s Watch” was sung most beautifully by Scaria. Dark colouring – – –  R., fatigued, retires to bed, I make a few visits. After dinner, we receive Director Jauner and Prince Rudolf of Liechtenstein; in the evening, our friend Lenbach. In the afternoon, I accompanied R. to pay a…

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…

A sorrowful day! We receive word of Rus’s death, occasioned by a sudden pulmonary stroke —no doubt brought on by yesterday’s excursion. In him, we surely lose one of our best friends. Only yesterday I had remarked how anxious and concerned he was for R., when the latter climbed down…

Slept long; angry letter from Feustel. R. resolves to return a portion of the land to the city, as it proves itself so narrow-hearted to do nothing. I cannot help but compare R. to the poor hare in the tale, caught between the two hedgehogs, who calmly watch him toil…