My dear Monsieur Royer,
I really cannot allow the result of such tremendous hard work on the part of so many artists and répétiteurs to be abandoned to the mercy of a conductor incapable of supervising a definitive performance of my work.
Without wishing to restate all the grievances that I might well lay at the door of the musical director, who has misunderstood the friendly nature of the proposal that I put to him whereby I myself might be permitted to conduct one of the rehearsals; and without insisting, either, upon the outcome to be expected from such a rehearsal, which would have allowed me to indicate to him, and to a certain extent to demonstrate, all the essential nuances that he has not been able to grasp for himself, I see myself obliged, as a result of his resistance, to increase the sum total of my demands, and to lay before you the irrevocable decision that I have taken in the light of yesterday’s rehearsal.
I am writing to you today, therefore, to ask not merely that I be allowed to take the final rehearsal but, in addition, to conduct the first three performances of a work whose execution I consider impossible unless you find the means to satisfy my legitimate demands.
It is not for me to examine the difficulties which may lie in the way of your taking this step, but simply to make you understand its inescapable necessity.
Whatever the outcome, the very question as to whether my Tannhäuser is to be performed at all at the Opera can no longer be regarded as a separate issue. And I may also remind you, my dear Monsieur Royer, that there is an urgent need for you, in turn, to come to a decision and make one last effort in support of a task in whose accomplishment you have so far assisted me with so much goodwill.
You will understand that, as things stand, a prompt solution is necessary. It is impossible to prolong the rehearsals any longer, even allowing for any improvement on the part of the musical director; the artists are exhausted, and, as for myself, I no longer feel the courage necessary to set about educating the conductor, except by inviting him to be present at the final rehearsal and the first three performances, conducted by myself.
I have the honour, Sir, to be your most obedient servant,
Richard Wagner
Source: Selected Letters of Richard Wagner, trans. and ed. Stewart Spencer and Barry Millington (W. W. Norton & Company, 1988), No. 265