Best of Men!
At the same time as your letter I received a fresh load of trouble for you. A theatrical agent, Michaelson in Berlin, informs me that no less than five theatres have asked for Tannhäuser (among them, however, Düsseldorf is included; besides, Riga, Stettin, Dantzig, and Königsberg). I think I will have nothing to do with people of this sort, and accept the offered mediation so as to be saved a lot of scribbling. I only stipulate that the honorarium (after deducting commission) be sent to me beforehand. So get ready, you unlucky fellow, to prepare more scores: if you have not a sufficient supply, claim fresh ones from X. With regard to the outlay, I am awaiting a statement from you, and hold myself ready to provide you with money in case you need it. (I have myself received nothing tangible from any quarter. Please provide yourself with copyists for the re-arranged scores.)
From Berlin I have no answer about my honorarium demand. Leipzig has humbly apologized, and prayed for pardon: again I have enjoined on them the necessity of procuring the designs for the scenery. With regard to Berlin, I have written to Heine and Liszt about the transfer of the "alter ego" to them.
Now something important! As I cannot possibly address myself separately to all the conductors and interpreters in spe of Tannhäuser, I am busy working at a concise address, respecting the performance and the way in which I wish it carried out. It will contain ample details, and, for many reasons, I think its public appearance will be of advantage.
Hence I intend this pro memoriâ for Brendel's journal, where it should appear either as a leading article, or better still, as a special supplement, but in either case in full. Give notice of this to Brendel, who indeed wished to have something of the sort from me, and prevail upon him to keep space open, so that the article may come out without delay. Unfortunately I can only work very slowly, as any work now tries my head extremely. Yet I hope to have done in four or five days at latest; I will then send the manuscript direct to him (to save time), and stipulate that you correct the proof, whereby you will gain an opportunity of reading it before it appears in print.
Now farewell for to-day! You will soon have more news from me! By the beginning of the winter your trouble will probably be over.
R. W.
Source: Richard Wagner's Letters to His Dresden Friends, Theodor Uhlig, Wilhelm Fischer, and Ferdinand Heine, trans. J. S. Shedlock (Scribner & Welford, 1890), No. 74