Cosima's Diaries

Diary Entry of December 29, 1870

Overview

Cosima writes to her mother and is again drawn into mourning over current events, while Loulou writes to Hans and Wagner finishes his letter to the King. Richter plays the first act of Tristan during Wagner's walk, and Wagner later reads the text aloud despite Fidi waking and the household shifting rooms to continue. The reading makes a tremendous impression on Cosima, while Fidi's excitement gives the evening a restless domestic edge.

Content

Thursday, December 29:

Wrote to my mother, which unfortunately brings me on to present events, a cause for the deepest mourning. Loulou writes to her father, R. completes his very fine letter to the King. Family lunch; after that, while R. takes his walk, the first act of Tristan und Isolde, played by Richter. In the evening R. reads us the words of it; but we wake up Fidi, and wander through the whole house, looking for a place to read the third act. It is cold downstairs, so we settle in the study, now given over to Prof. Nietzsche. But R. finds it too absurd, and he decides to read the third act in a lowered voice. The whole makes a tremendous impression on me. (Fidi very keyed up, dancing, laughing, etc.)