Cosima's Diaries

Diary Entry of November 22, 1877

Overview

After a rough night, R. keeps working and later performs a scene from the new musical material, while the evening conversation turns to a wave of political violence across Europe and beyond. The mood mixes creative labor with unease about events in the wider world.

Content

Thursday, November 22:

R. had a very bad night. He works nevertheless, and in the evening plays me Klingsor’s Magic Garden in Gurnemanz’s narration.

The evening is spent in conversation. Assassination attempts everywhere: against the Sultan in Turkey, a planned one in Russia against the Tsar, the same in Prussia by a Pole against the Emperor and Bismarck, others in Spain and in France!