Dearest Friend!
Best greetings first of all to my good friends of the Executive Council! Next, sincere thanks, and a humble plea for pardon, for my previous silence.
Until to-day I have had no leisure, but now I shall set about fulfilling my obligations one by one. For to-day only information as to plans. First of all, I consider an appeal to the patrons as indispensable.
To procure a loan for an undertaking which was regarded with universal suspicion was quite a different thing from securing energetic co-operation and support for one which, to the astonishment of the whole world, has been carried into effect.
Very naturally, however, this co-operation is to be effected only from a small number of genuine enthusiasts, who are at the same time men of means.
The appeal which I have drawn up for this purpose I am sending first of all to you, in order that the report of the Executive Council may be added.
In addition to this appeal I intend to make application to some of the most distinguished patrons with the request that they head a subscription list, to be sent out by them personally. For this I have Count Magnis particularly in view, as he has already declared himself willing; however, I shall put myself in touch with Herr v. Radowitz in order, if possible, to form a committee at once.
I further intend to ask the advice of my friends as to whether or not I shall apply to the Emperor for reimbursement. Perhaps only a suggestion would be necessary to explain to him that, in addition to distributing orders to the assisting musicians, my efforts should meet with direct personal recognition.
By this I naturally mean nothing less than aid in meeting the expenses, the burden of which should not be allowed to fall upon me. This done, the way would possibly be opened for me to lay a petition before Parliament asking for the further support of the Bayreuth Festival Play as a national project. Some time will be necessary to work this out, but fortunately we still have plenty of time at our disposal, as we shall not be together and ready for business before November.
The King wrote me quite splendidly while I was in Venice, exhorting me to endurance and perseverance, which he places above everything else. I hope accordingly to see everything settled before the close of the year, and hope to begin the preparation for the repetition of the Festival by the beginning of the new year. This latter requires much self-control on my part, as I shall feel myself compelled to proceed very seriously and strictly in improving both the personnel and the performance, especially if I find the proper sympathy and support. At present all courage and desire to make such an effort are totally lacking.
For two days I have been in Sorrento, our temporary goal; we are quite delighted with the place, only we shall be obliged to enter upon some agreement with the hotel, as otherwise our stay here will be so tremendously expensive. Unfortunately there was no one to help us in finding good accommodations, and we were obliged to secure everything with the greatest difficulty.
So think of us then ever kindly, dearest friend! Remember us cordially to your dear family; assure our friends of our faithful devotion, and believe always in the sincere gratitude of
Your deeply devoted
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. 94