Cosima's Diaries

Diary Entry of April 12, 1875

Overview

The day began with more domestic friction, but a visit from a young singer from Bremen, Wilde, lifted the mood; her performance of the "Prayer" from Tannhäuser struck the writer with unusual force. Later, the Artists' Society banquet turned out to be warm and amicable, with the president delighted to report that the invited R. had exceeded the gloomy expectations of the painters and won them over by being unexpectedly gracious.

Content

Monday, April 12:

Letters: some more domestic unpleasantnesses! Visits, among others a singer from Bremen (Wilde), who seems capable. She sings the “Prayer” from Tannhäuser, which always affects and moves me unutterably.

At 4 o’clock we are taken to a banquet of the Society of Artists, which proves to be a friendly occasion, if somewhat long. The president tells me that, when they thought of inviting R., many of the artists gave him an alarming description of his manner and maintained that he would throw the invitation back in their faces, etc. Now, through R.’s friendliness, they were experiencing a triumph!