My adored and angelic friend,
My beloved King, -
Again and again it is this sweet and gently constraining enchantment which, as though empowered by God, seizes hold of me, of my heart and of my life, whenever sadness rears its head, and, snatching me back from the abyss, guides me onwards to my highest calling!
When such wondrous tidings arrive as did so again yesterday evening, I feel as though stunned by an electric shock: ardour suffuses my vision; everything around me grows bright and rosily clear: the future becomes the present, and I am once more master of my strength, and of my faith.
What can the word “gratitude” mean here? Only love and a creative act can speak for me here! In me they are both as one! - The love-begotten act, it shall be done! Indeed! - I am enclosing herewith what my most gracious King has desired of me. - For this, too, I am most deeply grateful to him: for it is incentives such as this which render worthwhile all self-preoccupation. Perhaps it may one day benefit the world. It always makes me blissfully happy to be able to fulfil even the slightest wish of the friend whom I adore! -
From the depths of my heart I yearn to be allowed to set eyes again soon on the face of my august patron. My spirits fail me when I must needs be deprived for so long of this sweet consolation.
Once every year a dove descends from heaven
to strengthen and confirm its wondrous power!
It is this refection which I desire - only more frequently than the Knights of the Grail! -
Filled with the finest and most noble of wishes, overflowing with ardent desires, ever blessed and raised on high by the miracle which brought me my angel, I remain, perpetually true and grateful, my august friend’s most intimate self,
Richard Wagner
Many years ago I intended to collect and publish my writings in an edition which I later abandoned but for which I had drawn up the following programme.
Volume I.
1. “Art and Revolution.” (published in booklet-form.)
2. “Art and Climate.” (Essay contained in the “Deutsche Monatsschrift”, edited by A. Kolatschek between 1850 and 1852.)
3. “Letter to Liszt concerning the Goethe Foundation” (Neue Zeitschrift für Musik.)
4. “A Theatre in Zurich.” (published in booklet-form.)
5. Fragments of a plan to reform the theatres in the Kingdom of Saxony. (Manuscript in the possession of Kammermusikus Rühlemann in Dresden.)
Volume II.
1. “Letter to Brendel.” (Neue Zeitschrift für Musik.)
2. “Judaism in Music.” (in the same place.)
3. “On Conducting.” - (not yet written up.)
4. “Gluck’s Overture to Iphigenia in Aulis” (Neue Zeitschrift für Musik.)
5. Programme notes.
a. Beethoven’s Symphony No 9.
b. Beethoven’s Symphony No 3 (Eroica)
c. Beethoven’s Overture to Coriolanus.
d. Overture to the Flying Dutchman.
e. Overture to Tannhäuser.
f. Overture to Lohengrin.
6. On Performing Tannhäuser. (Booklet.)
7. On Performing the Flying Dutchman. (Manuscript.)
Volume III.
1. “A Pilgrimage to Beethoven.” (Novella.)
2. “The End of a Musician in Paris.” Novella. (Both printed in the Abendzeitung in 1840.)
3. “Le Freischütz.” (in the same place.)
4. “A Happy Evening.” (Manuscript - in the possession of Frau Mathilde Wesendonck in Zurich.)
5. “Parisian Amusements.” (Lewald’s Europa 1840.)
6. “Rossini’s Stabat Mater.” (1840.)
7. “Virtuosity & free Art.” (in French: Gazette Musicale 1840.)
8. Letters from Paris. (Abendzeitung 1840-41.)
Volume IV.
1. Draft for a Grand Opera “The Saracen Woman” - (Manuscript in the possession of Karl Ritter in Naples.)
2. Draft for a Grand Musical Drama “Jesus of Nazareth.” - (In the possession of Princess Caroline von Wittgenstein - in Rome.)
3. Detailed draft for a musical drama: “Wieland the Smith.” - (In the possession of Franz Liszt.)
4. “The Wibelungs.” History from Legend. - Published in booklet-form.
Published complete:
1. “The Art-Work of the Future.” -
2. “Opera and Drama.” -
3. “Three Opera Poems.”
4. “Tristan and Isolde.”
5. “The Mastersingers of Nuremberg.”
6. “Music of the Future.” A Preface to the French translation of my earlier opera poems.
7. “The Ring of the Nibelung.”
8. “On the Court Opera House in Vienna.” -
My programme -
to be realized if my precious King wills it so and helps. -
May and June 1865.
Tristan and Isolde
In the Residenz Theatre, before an invited audience, three to six performances - with Schnorr & his wife, Mitterwurzer (from Dresden), Beck (from Vienna) - Fräulein Stehle (from Munich).
May and June 1866.
Tannhäuser and Lohengrin
Complete, revised and performed absolutely correctly, with the collaboration of the above-named, or perhaps even drawing upon newly trained singers. - Place: Residenz Theatre, or, in exceptionally favourable circumstances, in the large Court Theatre. - With a revival of Tristan. -
August 1867.
Ring of the Nibelung.
In the newly built Festival Theatre. -
August 1868.
Revival of the Ring of the Nibelung.
August 1869.
Smaller Festival:
The Mastersingers.
Also perhaps: Tannhäuser & Lohengrin.
August 1870:
The Victors.
also the Mastersingers.
August 1871.
Tristan and Isolde. Victors.
Mastersingers.
August 1872.
Parzival. -
With repeats.
August 1873.
Ring of the Nibelung.
Before: Tannhäuser. Lohengrin. Tristan.
After: Mastersingers. Victors. Parzival.
May others then follow!
R.W.
Source: Selected Letters of Richard Wagner, trans. and ed. Stewart Spencer and Barry Millington (W. W. Norton & Company, 1988), No. 316