Friday, January 2:
R. did not have a good night, and I stayed awake with him, talking about Tannhäuser. He gets up for lunch, which we have with Lenbach and Levi. Much bother about the carriage he wished to order, dissatisfaction with the hotel.
Friend Lenbach is kind enough to send us his Bismarck, a wonderful portrait. R. exclaims: “Terrible! Such a strong will and such narrow-mindedness! For a man like this, you, my dear Herr Lenbach, and I are mere nothings; we can understand him, but he does not understand us.” The singer Gedon is also received; today I was in his studio, experiencing once again how talent is ignored in Germany. It is disgraceful.
In the evening to the theater with the children; when we return home, he tells me that Dr. Bezold also examined his eardrums and considered a slight cleaning necessary. An uneasy procedure, but R. is very pleased with the results. Early to bed. R. relates his Munich experiences to friend L.