My worthy Friend!
I still owe you my thanks for your last friendly letter. The explanation of the reason why your director didn't grant you leave for a visit in Lucerne made clear to me, at least, the director's intentions in this affair. I find it obvious now and understand that his noncompliance with your wish did not mean contempt for me. But it was not pleasant for me to hear that your colleague instead of yourself was entrusted with the preparation and conducting of my Tannhäuser. I can understand that your colleague insisted on getting this opera and it is a compliment to me that he puts a value upon directing an opera of mine. May his success be the same as if you were at the heart of the performance! It was a great fortune that we two could come to such an understanding about Lohengrin that it contributed to the success of the otherwise risky first performance before a Viennese audience. Now I have reason to doubt whether Tannhäuser will make the same striking effect. For we must confess that much depends on the conductor, under certain circumstances even everything, when works such as these are concerned. Do try to work now, as a true friend, for the right spirit of the performance, even though you can do this only through Director Eckert. Above all, no nonsensical cuts are to be made. The singers are not to be allowed entire freedom in recitative, but all passages, even those without metrical accompaniment, must first be sung strictly in time, in order to approximate exactly my rhythmical declamation and accentuation. Only then, after having mastered them, may they be allowed to modulate with a certain dramatic liberty. This is most important in order to prevent the singers from dragging, which always happens when you leave them to themselves in the quasi-recitative style. I experienced in the first song of Wolfram in the Sängerkrieg how terribly tiring and distorting this turns out to be. When one of the singers was coaching this song with me, I could drum my intentions into him in unaccompanied passages only by adding chords with continually running quarter-notes. Thus I managed to teach him the poise and nondragging motion along with the correct declamation. By the way, I wish to inform Director Eckert that about the end of October the Tannhäuser score will be published. I urge him to order a copy from the publisher (C. F. Meser, Dresden) and to demand the completely ready parts, since in the beginning, especially in the Overture and the first scenes, corrections and detailed indications for nuance in delivery have been added. I especially want them to be incorporated by the Vienna Theater from the very start. Since this involves the net price of a single copy only, I would consider this slight sacrifice as a special token of friendship.
But now about a greater sacrifice from you and Herr Eckert. I consent gladly to a first performance of Tristan in your theater in Vienna if my personal presence there can be granted. This important condition which I have had to stipulate for permission of the first performance of my newest work has been complied with by the generous promise of the Grand Duke of Baden according to which I am invited to come to Karlsruhe under his special protection. This favor is of immense importance for me, for then I get the chance to perform my new work entirely after my own intentions and thus to create a model and precedent for those theaters which are planning performances of their own. But I cannot attain this goal unless the conductors of the theaters who are to present it also attend the first performance (which alone I shall be able to attend). I cannot be assured that the spirit of the Karlsruhe performances will continue after my departure. Since the Vienna theater is my very next choice suitable for Tristan, I earnestly beg Director Eckert, through you, to send you, at the least, as the prospective conductor of this opera to Karlsruhe. Indeed, only after the granting of this request can I give permission for the Tristan performance in Vienna. The time will be around the middle of November and I shall announce it still more exactly. I should like you to come to some of the rehearsals.
Well, give me the pleasure of early news, as I am always eager to hear from Vienna. Give my friendly regards to your Eckert and keep the friendship to your faithful—
Richard W.
P.S. I must keep it a close secret that I am going in person to Karlsruhe: therefore I ask you please to support me in this absolutely necessary secrecy.
Source: Letters of Richard Wagner: The Burrell Collection, ed. John N. Burk (Macmillan, 1950), No. 208