[...] And now to future business!—True, my mind is still somewhat perplexed and not exactly eager for the venture, yet work on The Mastersingers goes forward, and if this winter my strange destiny allows me even some of the peace and quiet I long for, the completion of the score about the New Year is not an impossibility. Under such circumstances I shall regard it as a judgment of God in favour of the performance of the work next summer if I am successful now in securing a singer for the rôle of Hans Sachs for that date. At present I have only Beck in view for the part. Months ago I asked Standhartner to confer with Beck on the subject, and, of course, I have got no answer! Now I come back on you, knowing you well as a punctilious and trustworthy man and friend. Well, then. Hunt up Beck (which, I may tell you, is not without difficulties, as the strange fellow, for some mysterious reason, will receive no one at his house). [...] If we get to an understanding with Beck it will serve to launch the undertaking, and I will see that you are installed for a year as intendant and artist-manager of the same. Your task would then be to go to Nuremberg to gather information as to the state of the theatre there and its resources [...] and help me with the business side of the affair, so that next summer we can bring off a series of model performances of The Mastersingers in Nuremberg itself, though under the patronage of the King of Bavaria and with his support. [...]
With these model performances I intend to link the bold idea of founding our German School of Art in Nuremberg. There and nowhere else is the right place to carry it out. If things go well—we shall meet there on a permanent basis of work in common.—
This quite between ourselves! Woe to you if a word of this project gets into the newspapers! The stake, the wheel and the gallows will be the mildest punishment!!
Dear children, for the moment the outlook is fairly wretched! Munich is impossible. I am now having my house there completely dismantled and sending for my servants to come here. The Bülows left me yesterday to do the same; he thinks of trying Basle for this winter. All my hopes are set on the completion and production of The Mastersingers. The result may be a great and happy turn of fortune. It shall be so. The King is loyal and good but—he has not the strength to be master of his people. Indeed, it cost me great pains to persuade him to give up the idea of my return. He had to consent in the end to give me peace. He is now enthusiastic about the Nuremberg plan. [...]
Source: Letters of Richard Wagner, Vol. 2, selected and ed. Wilhelm Altmann, trans. M. M. Bozman (J. M. Dent & Sons, 1927), No. 620