Dear Fellow!
Many thanks for your letter! I can't see any good reason why I should not send you just a scrap of answer! You are right, quite right! Yet I must excuse Schindelmeisser somewhat: for months back he had repeatedly begged me for designs for the mise en scène; I always put him off, and at last left him quite in the lurch. The fault was with me: I naturally thought nothing of the whole tale. So you ought to have devoted a good part of your reproaches really to me, and not to him. Moreover, I am convinced that Sch., ever since he undertook the Tannhäuser, has meant honourably with me; that notwithstanding this he has so carried out his task that I should probably shake my head considerably at the results, I can also well imagine; still, it is not ill-will and intentional superficiality, but insufficient knowledge of the matter, combined with the depravity into which nowadays every routinier falls, after long practice in the ordinary rut of our operas. The light would only break in upon him and such as him, if they were once to see the opera given under my direction: with them, their blindness is their ruin!!
Do you then think after all, dear Heine (and dear Fischer, to whom I also address these lines), that I set any value on the present performances in Germany? that I persuade myself that they answer in any way to my demands? Ah! great heavens! I certainly thought I might do some good by my Guide; but — as I have already told you both — only in the sense that, at least, something of it would catch hold. But that this Guide could only be an embalming of my own intentions, that it could thus be only a protest uttered in advance against the bad performances that we might expect — I felt all this quite clearly when I wrote it; and that gave me, too, the despairing mood in which I became so inconsiderate toward friends. It was a true cry of anguish, was "this Guide." Well, well! the thing is taking its own course, in my despite; but I can only say that I am glad to see nothing of these performances. Now, when I am in a better humour toward this or that success, toward this or that conductor, it is merely because I fancy I see at least a little good-will displayed (as, for instance, was not the case with R. of Leipzig, for which reason I have no intention of giving him the Lohengrin!). Then, also, I am more indifferent toward smaller places: with more important places, such as Berlin, I am (as you have seen) more outspoken.
There is one young conductor who gives me great pleasure: that is Schöneck, formerly of Freiburg, now of Posen. I have learnt to know him thoroughly here in Zurich, and have trained him in my method; he has a very good young tenor with him, about whom I have heard wonderful things. I am naturally anxious that he, who has given at Posen the Tannhäuser five times within nine days, should let his light shine elsewhere than under these bushels; and therefore I, as well as Liszt, have agreed that he and his company shall give Tannhäuser for a couple of months at Kroll's Theatre in Berlin. The only thing I had to find fault with was the smallness of the theatre; but during the coming summer it is to be rebuilt, enlarged, and specially arranged for the Tannhäuser. Even should Liszt manage to get called to Berlin later on, through the Princess of Prussia, for the conducting of our two operas, this forerunner does not the least harm, and puts a lot of money into my pocket.
Talking of much money brings Fischer to my mind, who wanted an advance from me: I thought then that matters would be arranged through Genée in Dantzig. Up to now nothing has come of it, and I have already been mean enough to refer a couple of new orders to myself for payment, as for the moment I am cleaned out. The Theatre-Jew M. in Berlin will make an advance for Genée, so as to get the score at once from Fischer, to whom he will send as quittance the postal slip recording the payment, whereupon the score is to be sent to him. Again, director Hein of Stettin applies to me; I have also directed him to send the honorarium to me, and only to deliver the postal slip to Fischer, by way of receipt. Now Uncle Tom — I meant to say, brother Fischer — will make an astonished grimace, because nothing falls to him; in return I assure him that within the space of a month he shall be with me in Paradise, i.e., he shall have money, notwithstanding. But he must keep scores in readiness; Königsberg threatens, and Darmstadt likewise (for Schindelmeisser will enter upon his duties as Capellmeister there on the 1st of August). It would be as well if you, too, could have scenarium and sketches ready for Tannhäuser; for that purpose I think to be able to provide you with money for expenses, likewise within the space of a month; so don't let the little painter stop making his little figures.
Härtels wrote to me lately about the portrait, and thereupon I wrote to them about the sixty copies. They also advised me that their pianoforte arrangement (without words) of Lohengrin, for two and four hands, had now appeared. However absurd are such pianoforte arrangements without words of my operas, yet I must confess that for the publisher they have a great value. The regular herd of pianoforte-playing dilettanti naturally wants nothing but this sort of score, which, after all, suits their silly purpose better than the vocal score. Here, for example, there are endless demands for the pianoforte score without words of the Dutchman and Tannhäuser. Of the latter, at least, X. really ought to get such a score made and published; it is a real treachery to the business if this is not done, and I cannot help my creditors if they neglect such a source. X. ought to ask Liszt as to who should arrange the pianoforte score. Ah me! if men only knew how to help themselves!
Once more: my musical festival was splendid, and gave me great hopes of accomplishing wonderful things here in the future. One day I shall certainly myself give performances here of my operas, and also of the Nibelungen; but naturally only under quite exceptional circumstances. For that I shall require (ut semper) the services of Wilhelm. Within three or four years Wilm must really come to Switzerland: write him that to Japan!
Now, enough chattering for to-day; more another time! Greetings right and left from
Your
R. W.
Lately I received an engagement proposal from Bremen: ah! how pleased I was! How have things gone off at Cassel? I fancy wretchedly! No one sends news. Does F-ff-fischer know nothing? Is his Wilhelm already in Drrresden?
(Veronika Amerika!)
"Als zullendes Kind zog ich dich auf"; Mime.
If you could only succeed in bringing T. some common sense! Good gracious! there was no intention of any slight on him; when he begins to be sensible, I will write to him. He is really the man I should like best for Lohengrin.
So K-k-kietz has become an irreclaimable Plastiker? I am glad of it! but he must really write to me: gr-r-reet him heartily! (I am thinking too much about Japan, and that's why I st-st-stutter!)
Here the selections from Lohengrin pleased best. The Prelude impresses me very much.
Source: Richard Wagner's Letters to His Dresden Friends, Theodor Uhlig, Wilhelm Fischer, and Ferdinand Heine, trans. J. S. Shedlock (Scribner & Welford, 1890), No. 174