Not written, how much lies between! –
On Saturday the 31st, a grand banquet for our singers; absent were Scaria, Materna (ill), Schlosser, the Vogls, and Niemann — otherwise all were present, including ballet master Fricke, Brandt, Richter, Seidl, Rubinstein; all involved. R.’s address moves all to tears; Hill replies to him, Betz toasts my father, my father toasts R. again. This gathering may truly be called a success.
Sunday the 1st, in the afternoon, orchestral sound rehearsal; R. is greeted with jubilation by the orchestra, Betz sings: “Vollendet der Bau” [1] — a heavenly sound, an overwhelming impression, R. deeply moved.
Monday, August 2nd, “Rheingold” rehearsal in the morning with orchestra alone, in the afternoon with the singers; my father always present. Friend Mimi [2] arrives, also attends all. Evenings are always full, with guests to dinner each day.
Tuesday (August 3rd, 1875) second part of “Rheingold” and the same life, from Wednesday on one act per day; all — musicians and singers alike — with complete devotion and joy. An indescribable impression upon the very large audience; among friends present were Schleinitzen’s circle (the minister himself joins), Eckert, Rohde, Overbeck, Gersdorff, the Heckels, the Schirmers [3] (from America), Menzel the painter, and many others. The conclusion comes amidst such deep emotion that all participants confess they do not know how they will bear ordinary life again — especially the ordinary life of the theatre.
On the 13th (August 13th, 1875) R. gives a garden party for the orchestra and the singers still present, and addresses them with words of thanks, saying that such times awaken feelings which usually lie dormant within him. He asks my father to play for the orchestral musicians, some of whom had never heard him — my father obliges and plays most beautifully his “Legend of St. Francis” [4], so perfectly chosen for the moment.
On the following day (August 14th, 1875), farewells were taken from all, with great emotion. My father, who was visited here by Frau von Meyendorff, departed on Tuesday the 17th. In the final days of his stay, the strange reward arrives that the public now offers him. Since nothing more can be said against him — his conduct toward all and his miraculous influence having become evident — it is I who am now covered in disgrace.
I have allegedly offended everyone, turned all my husband’s friends against him — Professor Hoffmann, Betz, Niemann, Richter, and so on, even down to the Munich theatre tailor I am said to have slighted. R. issues a public statement declaring it all to be lies, and writes now to Richter, saying that his behaviour towards our household (never appearing when invited) gives occasion for such slanders, and that he demands of him a remorseful acknowledgment and a promise that things will be different henceforth. Long silence from Richter, meanwhile letters to me — a complete madhouse of confusion, largely stirred by Niemann’s returning of his part, which likely gave the greatest cause for all this.
R. acknowledges Herr Julius Lang in many things, and Bon Perfall: Vogl had been tasked with inquiring whether R. would reply if Perfall sent him a long explanatory letter — to which R. answered in the negative. – At last…
[1] Correct: “Vollendet das ewige Werk” (Completed is the eternal work),” Wotan in the 2nd scene of Rheingold.[2] Marie von Schleinitz.
[3] American patrons of Richard Wagner. Maybe the german-amerikan music publisher Gustav Schirmer.
[4] “Sonnenhymnus des hl. Franziskus von Assisi”, 1874, by Franz Liszt.
Revised English translation by Jo Cousins.