Wagner's Letters

Richard Wagner to Otto Wesendonck

March 31, 1858 · Lucerne

Overview

A telegram to Otto Wesendonck on the day of the famous Beethoven concert at the Wesendonck villa: the "trusty Kapellmeister" cannot conduct, the St Gotthard having left him a "violently orthodox catarrh," yet the concert shall still be conducted if the bandsmen keep in tune. In the event Wagner conducted it himself.

Letter

Telegram. To Herr Otto Wesendonck, Zurich.

The trusty Kapellmeister unfortunately cannot conduct the concert to-day. Saint Gotthard has taken toll, and given him in exchange a violently orthodox catarrh. The concert shall still be conducted, though, if the bandsmen only keep in good tune.

Your Richard Wagner.

Source: Richard Wagner to Mathilde Wesendonck, trans. William Ashton Ellis (Charles Scribner's Sons, 1905), No. 45

Previous letter: March 16, 1858 Next letter: April 5, 1858 Back to Letters