Cosima's Diaries

Diary Entry of August 11, 1882

Overview

Though weak and unwilling to hear the whole performance, R. is still revived by the flower scene and even shouts bravo from the box, only to be hissed. His larger mood remains hostile to Bayreuth itself, and he goes so far as to imagine handing over Parsifal and the theater to Neumann.

Content

Friday, August 11:

R. had a restless night. He feels so languid that he does not attend the performance, just appears during the intermissions, and the only thing he hears all through is the flower scene, since the excellence of the performance always refreshes him. From our box he calls out, “Bravo!”, whereupon he is hissed. Countess Tasca attends this performance, and we have her and our dear friends the Schleinitzes in our home. R.’s mood is changeable, but on the whole biased against Bayreuth, indeed, he even talks of handing over Parsifal and the festival theater to Herr Neumann!