Cosima's Diaries

Diary Entry of July 28, 1876

Overview

R. had a poor night but stayed in a cheerful and friendly mood, and a pleasant lunch with the Wilhelmjes briefly lightened the day. At rehearsal, Professor Doepler reacted badly when asked for modest costume changes, revealing himself as a crude hack and exposing the costumes as provincially tasteless. The whole affair was especially vexing because Wotan’s hat remained an impossible embarrassment, more musketeer than god.

Content

Friday, July 28:

R. had a bad night, but he remains in a cheerful, friendly mood. Light lunch with the Wilhelmjes; the wife very pleasant.

In the evening, costume rehearsal. On my request to Professor Doepler to make Siegfried’s clothes a little less close-fitting and to dress Gutrune’s ladies less brightly, the poor man becomes so angry and rude that I realize for the first time what a hack one is having to deal with! The costumes are throughout reminiscent of Red Indian chiefs and still bear, along with their ethnographic absurdity, all the marks of provincial tastelessness. I am much dismayed by them and also rather shocked by the professor’s manner. R. is having great trouble with Wotan’s hat; it is a veritable musketeer’s hat!