Sunday, July 16:
R. fell asleep last night on his big dressing chair; I watched over him and prayed. Alas, we are both so tired, and our wish is to live for the children, only for the children!... He then goes cheerfully to bed and has a good night.
Toward 11 o'clock we drive up to the orchestra rehearsal of the 3rd act, in which R. particularly notices how the orchestra just bangs away, no longer playing with feeling, but just ignoring the sensitive passing notes. We return home feeling sad; R. accuses himself of having scored too heavily at times! In one passage he cuts out the woodwinds. Apart from that he talks about the killing of the Europeans in Alexandria, saying it was all happening “in order to protect government bonds.” A letter from Herr Schön in reply to his open one pleases him greatly. At 5 in the afternoon we both go to the vocal rehearsal of the 3rd act. Unfortunately Herr Winkelm. arouses great anger in R. by not knowing his part. The evening passes in whist for my father; for R. and me a conversation between R. and the conductor about interpretation.