Tuesday, February 4:
Final rehearsal at 10 o’clock; the hall would have been completely full, all seats paid for, if the Wagner Societies had not stupidly feared that R. would have been displeased. The rehearsal goes very well; it was thought at first that Niemann would not sing-he had forbidden his wife to attend the rehearsal and this led to scenes which left him completely hoarse-but he comes at last and sings, if not to our delight, at any rate with the voice he always has.
R. lies down in bed. I converse a while with Frau von Meyendorff and visit Minna Kinowsky, my former cook, in her porter’s lodge.
The concert at 7:30 in the evening, the Emperor and Empress present; the aristocratic audience which only Berlin can supply, hardly any Jews. I am in Frau von Schleinitz’s box with Marie Muchanoff, Frau von Meyendorff, Frau von Rochow, Baron Loe (the Emperor’s adjutant), Count Solms, etc. Laurel wreaths, flowers, and a flourish on R.’s entry; called back repeatedly at the end, he tells the people what he has to thank them for-the promotion of his undertaking.
Program: Tannhäuser Overture, “Siegmund’s Song,” Meistersinger Prelude, “Magic Fire,” Tristan Prelude, “Forging Songs,” Kaisermarsch.
At the end R. is very exhausted; the only thing he enjoyed performing, he says, was the Kaisermarsch in front of the Emperor-this had really inspired him. Unfortunately the Emperor left before the march; he had thought the chorus was to be sung, and it embarrasses him to hear himself praised. I take R. home to bed and then go to Marie Schl.’s house, where a little company has gathered, utterly under the spell of the magical direction of the orchestra.