Tuesday, June 20:
R. at any rate not worse, though he is still not well; he drives with me to the orchestra rehearsal, and has to tell them literally everything! In the afternoon the second rehearsal of the third act (Walküre). Yesterday was the first, a shattering experience for all participants and onlookers. When R. demonstrated to Frl. Scheffsky the gesture with which she passes from frozen despair to startled joy and enraptured exultation, tears were running down all our faces.
Prof. Doepler told me very prettily how every evening the artists raved about Wagner and pitied the poor patrons, who would see only a few performances and really know nothing about it at all. “We should pay the 300 thalers,” he observes, “since we are having an enjoyable time.” The grouping of the Valkyries splendid, the rock looks like a Valkyries’ nest.
Prof. D. says he knows R. will live a long time yet, just because he has made up his mind to! R. very tired, however, at the end of rehearsals like this. Today business letters for him to write: to Herr Simson in Berlin (Fürstner), then to Herr Voltz about Herr Batz, whose impudence remains unabated. For me it is a horrible thought that after our death Fidi will still have to deal with this man.