To-day I merely send you these few lines, dear friend, to thank you for your last letter and at like time give you a sign of life from myself.
A wild, exciting — but vastly beautiful week have I just passed through: Liszt left me only a few days back. A very storm of confidences raged between us: my joy at the unspeakably winning man was all the greater as I found him vigorous, a good stayer, and much better in health than I should have anticipated. We had incredibly much to tell each other: for it really was here that we first made one another's acquaintance, as I previously had spent no more than a few flying days in his company. So the eight days, that he was able to bestow upon me this time, were filled with so much matter that I now am almost stunned by it. Quite at the beginning I sacrificed my voice, so that Liszt had to do all the music thenceforth: he played incredibly! One splendid trip I took with him to the Lake of Lucerne, and finally he parted with the voluntary promise to return next year for at least four weeks. I hope you, too, will then be here!
Now I can hold out no longer in Zurich: yet I still have a great festivity to surmount to-night. A monster torchlight procession, with music, singing and diploma of honour, looms before me. The reports about it have kept the town agog for the last eight days. To-morrow morning, however, I go away to St. Moritz: if the cure is got through satisfactorily, then on to Italy. Well-ruled paper for sketches is all in readiness, and before this year has run its course I fancy the composition of Rheingold will be completely drafted. To my most delightful surprise, Liszt thoroughly concurred in my own plan for the future performance of my Bühnenfestspiel: we have settled that it shall take place from the spring to the autumn of one year at Zurich; a provisional theatre shall be built for it, and what I want in the way of singers, etc., shall be expressly engaged. Liszt will collect donations for the undertaking from every quarter of the heavens, and is confident of being able to scrape the needful money together. You see, we've settled no small thing between us!
Now, I hope I soon shall have your news about the Wiesbaden performance of Lohengrin, which seems to have passed off very well. Your message about the Tannhäuser was very interesting to me, and heartily I thank you for it. Yet it appears that you were able to derive a good impression.
Next winter there probably will be much musicing of mine in Germany: inquiries increase to such an extent, that I begin to believe in my growing popularity. May Heaven, Dr. Rahn and St. Moritz, only grant that I regain my health; for the exertion I see before me is great, and to feel my spirits equal to it I must also recover full faith in myself. Much — much do I expect from Italy!
Hearty greeting, best friend, to you and your honoured family: rejoice me right soon with news how you all are doing.
Your
R. W.
Source: Richard Wagner's Letters to Wesendonck et al., trans. and indexed by William Ashton Ellis (Grant Richards, 1899), No. 3