Cosima's Diaries

Diary Entry of January 27, 1883

Overview

Wagner recounts a dream of embarrassing exposure in a theater box before turning to his writing, joking that he is no longer capable of producing an article as long as Cosima's. His agitation persists through the day despite a trip to S. Moïsé, and the evening conversation—though mostly pleasant—is disrupted by an old slight from Munich that still stings. They close the night reading Goethe's "Dedication," which prompts Wagner to note again how little satisfaction lyric poetry gives him.

Content

Saturday, January 27:

R. told me his dream: wearing the mauve nightgown which he has on now, he went with me into a box in a theater; there people behaved improperly toward him, but he did not wish to show himself, though he could hardly avoid it, while I became very embarrassed — whereupon he woke up. R. slept well, and he works, jokingly remarking that he is no longer capable of producing an article as long as mine was.

Toward 1 o'clock we take a trip to S. Moïsé; but R. is somewhat agitated and remains so throughout the day, all the more so since the doctor does not come today. The evening conversation pleases him, except that he becomes very excited during the discussion of Peter Cornelius's remark in Munich about him ("rough outside, good within"). To end the evening we read Goethe's "Dedication," and once again R. remarks how little pleasure lyric poetry gives him.