Good Wife of My Heart!
Today is Sunday and there is no rehearsal; before dressing to make my visits, I am sitting down to give myself the pleasure of a little chat with you; I mean by writing, for I often hold conversations with you and sometimes hear your answers quite distinctly. But first I'm going to tell you what you may be most anxious to hear: how things stand with my opera. After Friday had passed with various necessary conferences and arrangements, we held the first stage rehearsal on Saturday, that is, of the first two acts only. It lasted from ten to three o'clock, and everyone worked hard. I was greatly pleased with the singers and chorus; the chorus was augmented for the first time in Hamburg by soldier singers and was splendidly prepared; they are giving their utmost; the greater part have good voices and are often so strong that the orchestra is completely covered. The solo singers are truly remarkable, and I frankly confess that I could wish for none better in Dresden—except our Tichatschek, of course: Wurda certainly can't even remotely be compared to Tichatschek in regard to voice and energy in singing; well, I need not tell you what we possess in Tichatschek, we all know that well enough. However, this I hadn't expected at all, and I had nothing to be disappointed about. Wurda is doing his best, and with this I have to be content, especially because I recognize that he will finally come through with his part quite well; singers of his sort sing differently, and there is never the danger that they may overdo; besides, he is in good standing here and the public is used to him. Of course when I hear him at the rehearsals, I must not think of Tichatschek: that I must never do! So, there is no call for comparison, and those points which are beyond all comparing should not be thought about. But while I still include Tichatschek in my thought, I am obliged to say that as long as I live I never expect to have better singers for this opera. Adriano stands first. This woman Fehringer, powerful as she is, is worth her weight in gold! It is a voice, I tell you, such as I have never heard! Strength, freshness, resonance—in high, middle, low register—however you choose—quite remarkable! This woman has fire like no one else: she sings with energy, with ardor—wildly! On top of that she is well rehearsed—nothing uncertain about her! We need such a one—you know my troubles! If Rienzi's part should prove at last to be less striking, then I almost fear that Adriano will outshine Rienzi to the point where the opera on the playbill would need to be called Adriano. Irene, Mlle. Jazedé, is very good and takes her place well in the ensembles. You ought to hear the two women do the duet in the first act, the one that never pleased you! I will wager that duet will cause a furore here. But now for the other parts! Colonna, Orsini, then especially Cecco, Baroncello, and the Cardinal are excellent: all of them strong, fresh voices full of life and fire in the acting; Lord, when I think of our Risse, Vestri, etc.!!! In a word, my good Mienel, everything is in hand; and when you add to this Tichatschek for the summer, I believe the opera will arouse the public here to a real furore. Meanwhile, it's just as well that they've not seen the part of Rienzi better done.
I've been less satisfied with the orchestra so far, and right now I'd prefer to have my own orchestra here with me! I have let Krebs conduct that rehearsal, and shall myself take over the last two. Krebs is really an excellent conductor; he has prepared the singers well, everything sure and precise, and in the future when I am away I could have no better conductor for my opera. But naturally, in the matter of interpretation there is much that only the composer can indicate, and therefore the last two rehearsals will have to throw the right light upon the whole work. But there is good will on every side, and the musicians are enthusiastic about the work. One thing is certain, that everybody without exception predicts the greatest possible success; and Cornet's only worry is what opera he can give afterward, for he says: "Rienzi kills everything else, what other could come up to it?" . . .
Source: Letters of Richard Wagner: The Burrell Collection, ed. John N. Burk (Macmillan, 1950), No. 56