Best Mutz,
Yesterday I really had a good mind to leave the second concert here in the air and be off to Paris to-day; the fearful labour for such a small reward annoys me hugely. To-day I've quieted a bit, and as the concert is already announced and advertised for Wednesday, I am really afraid of the scandal my abrupt departure might possibly or rather, certainly occasion. It might have looked as if the success hadn't come up to my wish, and that would have been very incorrect. Everybody is surprised at the fire of this Flemish audience, which really has espoused my cause with the selfsame jubilation as the Parisian. Moreover, all the best seats were well filled, especially in the first circle; only the upper galleries were empty: but the prices are very low and won't yield much, particularly as I have had to bear the cost of reinforcing the chorus and orchestra. However, I've had the director informed now, that he must share those expenses with me. Anyhow I shall give this second concert too — for honour's sake; but after that — never, never again such concert-givings! For I now see that no profit can ever be drawn from them, and nothing but the artistic success can be kept in eye. True, people tell me this itself is not to be made light of this time, since I have suddenly become very popular in Belgium, and thus ensured the giving of my opera here as soon as ever it has been given in Paris. Really that isn't to be despised, for Belgium alone has nearly as many big cities with theatres as France itself, and they are all bound by treaty with France to pay full tantièmes also. Brussels will in any case be getting up Tannhäuser concurrently with Paris; Antwerp, Ghent, Liège, the Hague, also wish to bring it out the same winter. That would considerably augment the Paris tantièmes, you see, and consequently I should have to look for good fruits from my present exertions quite soon.
The theatre here is remarkably fine, exactly like the Berlin opera-house. People tell me that without these concerts I should have remained a stranger even with my operas here for years. — Well, we shall reap all that benefit next year.
This evening I'm to dine with Count Orloff — the Emperor of Russia's right hand, and an intimate of Napoleon's — at Klindworth's uncle's, an eminent diplomatist; so you see, I can't get away from diplomacy. Lord knows what all these high enthusiasts will bring to pass for me some day; in Paris they really have effected much for me this way already. — Well, well! I have had callers all this morning; now I mean to go and pay my return calls on M. Fétis (who is quite raving about me) and several other musical notabilities. Tomorrow I shall make a little trip to Madame Lohengrin, née Elsa — at Antwerp; then sweat and overtax myself once more on Wednesday. Then I shall return to Paris Thursday evening between 8 and 9; before which you shall have heard from me again.
Now — a thousand good wishes; hearty regret for the hurricane, which has been raging here as well, and the promise that all that shall be altered: without fail! —
So fare nice and well, and hold dear
Thy good Richard.
Source: Richard to Minna Wagner: Letters to His First Wife, trans. William Ashton Ellis, Vol. 2 (Charles Scribner's Sons, 1909), No. 203