[...] A complete edition of my operatic scores is a matter which increasingly occupies my attention. Many opportunities have been let slip in this business already. I recently heard from the unfortunate present manager of the firm of C. F. Meser, of Dresden, that increasingly frequent orders for the scores of Rienzi and The Flying Dutchman were a constant source of embarrassment to him, and made him regret not having had more of them printed in time. On the other hand, the printing of the Tannhäuser score has been unfortunate, Herr H. Müller having previously had it done before I had worked out anew certain scenes (for Paris). Since then he behaved so inconsiderately towards me that I have not yet permitted him to complete the score with these new scenes, and, consequently, have not yet told him of them. If this score, in particular, were to be completed according to my revised version, I would take steps to force the theatres to procure this edition. Well, all this is in the air for the present, because I should like to save it up for a complete collected edition. Still, it would interest me, should you care to try to make something of it, to know how you would have to arrange with Messrs. H. Müller (Meser) and Breitkopf and Härtel about the taking over of their rights in publication. For instance, I should like to begin to re-edit The Flying Dutchman with improvements, and then devote my remaining years of life to a gradual revision, at my convenience, of the other publications, concluding with The Nibelungs. I believe it would make it easiest for you if it were to be made a subscribed edition, as the King of Bavaria would then have to his hand a method of supporting the enterprise; he would put his name down for as many copies as you think necessary roughly to cover the cost. [...]
Source: Letters of Richard Wagner, Vol. 2, selected and ed. Wilhelm Altmann, trans. M. M. Bozman (J. M. Dent & Sons, 1927), No. 639