Wednesday, March 20:
Boni’s 10th birthday; celebrations, holiday, snow and sunshine outside. I informed R. yesterday that Herr Huffer was opposed to Ortrud’s appearance and the transformation of the swan in the 3rd act. “These people have no idea of theatre,” he answers. “How would Lohengrin ever have got away otherwise without everyone’s running after him? The point here was to create a diversion and to make Lohengrin’s departure an unexpected surprise. But that’s the way of people, to talk without thinking; he should just tell me how he visualizes it on the stage.”
At lunch he tells me that once in Dresden he told his wife that he must get up very early in order to work, since he had that day to conduct Mass in the church, and the whole day was arranged accordingly; after working on Tannhäuser he went dreamily to the window, saw Wächter, the singer, who made conducting motions and pointed toward the church; R. looked at the clock; it was half past twelve and he had completely forgotten the Mass he was supposed to conduct, but it went all right without him.
R. is able to work, and he calls me to show me how he has effected Brünnhilde’s entry after the raising of Siegfried’s hand. In the afternoon he plays me the 1st act of Götterdämmerung; I listen amid snow flurries and flickering flames; profound impression. Then we go out; I accompany the children to their dancing lesson, R. fetches a letter of apology from Herr Lauterbach. In Karlsruhe they are preparing Gounod’s Faust for Whitsuntide and consequently cannot supply R. with any great contingent, which R. finds very revealing. Up till now E. Devrient had at least prevented Faust from being given in Karlsruhe. Read Menzel in the evening.