Wagner's Letters

Richard Wagner to Mathilde Wesendonck

Undated · Zurich

Overview

Wagner sends a belated formal invitation to a Sunday-evening tea in honour of Jakob Sulzer, asking Mathilde to bring Herr Kutter. He adds that he cannot work at night, has laid Calderón aside, sends Eduard Devrient's regards, and reports that the world still stands and Fafner is still alive.

Letter

It seems to me as though we had forgotten to send you a proper invitation for Sunday evening: permit us to remedy the omission herewith! As you are aware, it is a feast in honour of Sulzer. I am also to inform you that tea will be served at 7 o'clock.

We hope to see you appear quite punctually with Herr Kutter, whom we likewise beg you most cordially to invite on our behalf.

For your personal gratification I may also tell you that of late I have been unable to work again at night; Calderon, however, is committed to rest — Devrient sends you his kindest regards. For the rest, the world is still standing, Fafner alive, and everything as it was.

Source: Richard Wagner to Mathilde Wesendonck, trans. William Ashton Ellis (Charles Scribner's Sons, 1905), No. 29