Tuesday, February 17:
Eva’s birthday, the “Prize Song” played to her by R. at early breakfast. Presentation of gifts at 12. “You came very modestly into the world,” R. tells her.
With the children in the afternoon to Herr Joukowsky’s studio, Pepino sings in honor of the birthday and delights us all once more. R. plays something from the Ring which he thinks Pepino may have remembered, then the bridal procession from Lohengrin—a lovely hour, wondering what will become of the passionate Pepino. Will he continue in this existence, out of love for his master, who rescued him from the gutter?
In the evening to the Teatro Bellini (with Boni and Eva) for the Barbiere [di Siviglia]. Beautiful theater, but wretched performance—all tradition lost, even here!...
When R. talked at length yesterday about the wickedness and mendacity of the present world, I asked him, for the sake of the children, to broach this topic less frequently; he says I am right, for how else can the poor creatures find the courage to go on living?
“The entire Renaissance, including its paintings, I declare to be a period of barbarism, in spite of all the great geniuses who were a part of it and based their art on it. How could this compare with the performance of an Aeschylus tragedy, which was a religious service?”...
Lusch’s illness introduces to our household a soeur d’esperance as nurse, and even R. is pleasantly impressed by the cheerfulness, the serenity, the activity, and the refinement which are reflected in her reserved and uninquisitive character: “She seems to me like a princess who has joined the people,” he says, and “How ashamed does this sister make one feel!” It gives him a lot to think about in connection with the church, which is still capable of producing such people!