Most esteemed Herr Heckel!
Your suggestion is a most excellent one; if such an alliance could be formed, it would be exactly what I could wish. Just now the strength of the situation lies in the strong individual organisations. It is the individual society which offers at present the most effective support. The Society “Wagneriana” in Berlin recently decided to take sixty Patrons' Certificates and guarantees the entire orchestra. Vienna promises, at least, to prove herself most generous during the course of the winter.
In Leipzig, on the other hand, only three-fourths of a Patrons' Certificate has been reported; in Munich—through the Society—nothing has been accomplished, as far as I know.
It is only in Mannheim that you have proven yourselves active. None the less I realise that only by means of a big universal alliance can the undertaking be assured in a permanent and successful sense, and therefore I consider your suggestions as particularly worthy of notice. . . .
In Bayreuth everything is going ahead in the most inspiring manner; my wishes are being met with great seriousness. I shall take all the necessary steps in regard to the building site (which the city presumably will present me) in order that work may begin in March. . . .
For the present the most important thing seems to be to send out a vigorous and sharply accentuated appeal, according to the plan which you outlined for me. As a result of this, we can then see what has been accomplished by next March, and then an assembling of the committees in Bayreuth (for the corner-stone laying) would have especial significance.
I hope you are of my opinion, and will have the kindness to impart my ideas to Herr v. Loen, at the same time giving him my cordial greetings.
Respectfully yours,
Richard Wagner.
Source: The Story of Bayreuth as Told in the Bayreuth Letters of Richard Wagner, trans. and ed. Caroline V. Kerr (Small, Maynard and Company, 1912), No. 6