Friday, November 12:
R. had a good night. I visit the painter and costumier, R. Seitz, in order to discuss with him the costumes for Parsifal. In the meantime R. finishes Jacolliot's book and is irritated by his arrogant dilettantism.
At 3 o'clock rehearsal and Parsifal Prelude in the Court Theater. The orchestra's pleasure in seeing R. once more in their midst; a flourish, he very cheerful, friendly, pleased among other things by the expression on the face of the violist Toms. The Prelude is played twice, then the King demands the Prelude to Lohengrin. R. very put out by this. He summons me to his dressing room, where he is cheerful in spite of it all.
But at home he is tired, and when Lenbach makes some unfortunate remarks about Bismarck, R. loses his temper about this bulldog face which is always being painted. Lenbach takes his leave after R. has sought to explain to him the reasons for his anger. He reads the death of Falstaff in Henry V, is much struck by the passage about kings having curious humors, and repeats it. Late in the evening he goes for a walk on the Dultplatz with Jouk.; on his return he says merely that he has an antipathy toward Lenbach, who irritates him.
Altogether very agitated, he says in a conversation with Levi that he, as a Jew, has merely to learn to die, but Levi shows understanding.