Cosima's Diaries

Diary Entry of January 19, 1876

Overview

Dictation and work continued, but the atmosphere darkened as royalties arrived and the finances were tallied, confirming the theater’s disastrous condition. Baron Hofmann reported poor attendance, and R. said that only a man like Bismarck could help, which only proved how badly things stood. Jauner’s cable about Scaria’s demands angered R. so much that he nearly wanted to drop him at once, though he first sought Betz and Niemann’s opinion.

Content

Wednesday, January 19:

Dictation and work. Also, arrival of royalties and calculation of expenditure.

Baron Hofmann writes of bad attendance in the theater; the disastrous financial situation is causing very great alarm everywhere. “The fact that only a man like Bismarck can help us,” says R., “shows that we are lost.”

Herr Jauner cables that he will arrange matters according to R.’s wishes, and reports at the same time that, as a condition of his engagement, Herr Scaria is demanding 2,500 thalers from July 15 onward, to be paid now in advance.

This makes R. so indignant that he feels like dispensing with Scaria right away, but he cables Betz first, inviting his and Niemann’s opinion.

Continued Prof. Lagarde’s pamphlet in the evening.