Sunday, December 8:
Went for a little walk in the town, which pleases us immensely, lovely parks with a mill in the center, which delights R. greatly. The cathedral makes a profound impression on us; it is Communion, and a lovely and moving hymn is being sung in the old church. The organ is playing, and “tears gush forth.”
Viewed Town Hall and the Liebfrauen church and received a very pleasant impression of the whole town, the new as well as the old parts.
Visit from a Herr von Steinitz, an Austrian officer who is married to the première danseuse here and who, as an enthusiastic and friendly person, makes a very pleasant impression on us.
Dinner with the concert conductor Reinthaler; about 18 people. Thunder and lightning, to everybody’s amazement. R. says, “That signifies the founding of a Wagner Society in Bremen.” There are some very nice speeches; the whole thing makes a very good impression.
At 6 o’clock performance of Die Meistersinger. R. is received with a flourish by the orchestra and great acclamation by the audience. The work, it seems, has made a tremendous impression here, and indeed the conductor really has done all that is possible with his orchestra, which, though small, consists of very respectable players. But the production is again very pitiful, and the most annoying thing is that Herr Schott has thought fit to send here the parts from Mannheim, which were prepared by Herr Lachner, who makes cuts even in Der Freischütz. In consequence the whole third act unrecognizable and boring.
We discover a very good David, an intelligent Sachs, and a promising Eva. The work moves me inexpressibly; R. reminds me with tears in his eyes of the times in which he wrote it. When future generations seek refreshment in this unique work, may they spare a thought for the tears from which its smiles arose! ...
Home very tired. The nonsense of the third act, in which Herr Lachner has inserted passages of his own, has exhausted us.