Second orchestral rehearsal (Act II) — a most moving impression! Yet R. has much trouble with it. Surely, only in Bayreuth will he be able to achieve a truly good performance of “Tannhäuser”. — Dinner with the Duke of Saxe-Meiningen; R. finds in him the very type of the old House…
R. had a wretched night! Drew up his protest against Mr Fürstner [1] — such is the reward of his labours! … In the evening a few friends. Earlier, had been with the children to “The Magic Flute”. — In the morning, first orchestral rehearsal. [1] Adolph Fürstner (1833 – 1908)…
R. goes early to rehearsal; I to the concert conducted by Herbeck — a pleasant and fine impression from a Haydn symphony in G minor, but Mendelssohn’s “Lobgesang” is enough to make one want to flee! … R. returns home and reports that Mr Fürstner has lodged a protest against the…
R. in die Probe, hat Not mit Frau Grahn, kommt sehr angegriffen heim, legt sich zu Bett. Ich besuche die Harrach'sche Galerie (vor allem zwei Dürer; ein Cranach, ein Potter [1], zwei Velasquez, ein Murillo, ein Volterra [2] und ein lieblichster Canaletto [3]). Darauf zu Marie Dönhoff; abends die Broschüre…
R. at rehearsal; returns particularly dissatisfied with Lucile Grahn.[1] I with Marie D.—found her just as ever, warm-hearted, tender, and lovely. R. with the children at the aquarium. In the evening he goes for one act to “The African Woman” (“L’Africaine”)[2] and says that, were he to live in Vienna and have…
A complete hoarseness keeps me at home, partly in bed. — R. has two rehearsals of “Tannhäuser” at noon, and one for the “Lohengrin” decorations in the evening; he tells me curious things of the helplessness in all matters scenic — for the bells in the first act of “Tannhäuser”, a storm-peal; the flock of…
