Esteemed Friend!
Since my departure from Bayreuth, no further information has reached me than your announcement that the deficit proves to be more and more significant, and that I am expected to suggest ways and means of meeting it. To me the most imperative thing seemed to be an appeal to the previous supporters of my undertaking. I drew up such an appeal and sent it to you (about the 8th or 10th of October) with the request that your report to the patrons be added to it. At the same time I wrote at length to the King of Bavaria and enclosed the chief features of a plan for a constitution, by the terms of which the theatre with all its accessories should accrue to the state in exchange for the assumption of all the debts resting upon it, and the further administration of which should be transferred to the city magistrate of Bayreuth. Up to the present time no answer has reached me, and I can only assume that the King is not lacking in cordial good-will, but that he is embarrassed in finding just the right way of meeting my wishes.
While I was waiting for an answer from that side, my friend Heckel announced to me his great regret that I myself should be called upon to make the appeal for a contribution to cover the deficit, whereas, to his mind, this should be the affair of my friends; this opinion he had already expressed to our friends of the Executive Council. I answered that he seemed to be moved by a very proper feeling, and that it would indeed be gratifying to me if the matter could be taken in hand by friends of my cause. In regard to his suggestion that four (extra) performances at increased prices should be given to cover the deficit, I expressed the fear that the imperative payment of our debts could not be postponed for so long a period.
I am convinced that there are people who can and will gladly get together the necessary funds for us; however, I do not know anyone of the proper ability who could be asked to place himself at the head and front of such a movement.
Perhaps this could be accomplished by the committees of the older Wagner Societies, for whom it would surely be easier to raise their voices now than at a time when the undertaking was received with suspicion on all sides.
In any case, I regret that no use was made of the appeal I sent to you; at least one good result would have come from its distribution in letting us know where we stood in the matter.
It seems to me that through no fault of mine there has been much unnecessary delay; on the other hand, I declare myself still ready to support any measure which is suggested to me.
Under all these circumstances it seems now to have grown too late to prepare for a repetition of the Festival next summer with any degree of assurance—in fact, even to entertain such an idea. In order to reach the goal once, and to show the world what it was all about, I could enter into these financial embarrassments and deceptions; but to remain continually in such a condition by exposing myself repeatedly to the chance of being abandoned to fresh anxieties (for example, through the calumny of the newspapers), of which I should never have even learned, as no financial profit was ever connected with my undertaking—all this I must absolutely refuse to do in the future.
The great defects in the performance of my work can only be explained by the financial uncertainty and the consequent doubts which arose as to the timely accomplishment of the undertaking on the part of those commissioned with its execution. We shall be obliged to have at our immediate disposal the means for remedying these defects. Moreover, I should not have the courage to approach certain artists of my personnel, whom I secured only with the greatest difficulty, and invite them to renewed co-operation without being able to assure them of an adequate honorarium; this, however, could not be done unless the deficit of this year's performances had been previously completely covered. And to give a fourth (extra performance) for this purpose would naturally fill the minds of any singers and musicians with consternation as soon as they heard of it, for it would be tempting Providence to rely solely upon a repetition of the auspicious circumstances which made it possible for us to give the three performances successively within so short a time.
I am therefore obliged to wait and see if by any impulse whatever the money for covering the deficit can be collected in time. Has this not been done by January 1st, then a repetition of the Festival next year must be abandoned, and then we can only wait and see if any interest is taken in the matter in certain quarters and help is extended to us. I refrain from any reference to my own person on this occasion, nor shall I call your attention in detail to the state of my health. I only assure you that even here in Italy, under the influence of totally new impressions, I drag along with my entire nervous system apparently shattered; nor is this to be wondered at when one considers that I have been prevented from taking my customary water-cure, in spite of all things that have happened and continue to happen. Moreover, I cannot regard the absolute necessity of the repetition of the Festival next year as obligatory for me, unless this can take place under such circumstances as to make a pleasant duty of the self-sacrifices it would incur—that is, if the friends of my art do not convince me that they care something about me and my undertaking. I can and will not sacrifice my strength any more to a mere enterprise, for better for worse.
As not the slightest blame in this deplorable situation is to be laid at the door of my esteemed friends in Bayreuth—we having mutually accomplished something that was able to arouse astonishment and enthusiasm—it is all the more painful to be obliged to prepare you, in an extreme case, for the most depressing news.
I must look squarely in the face the possibility that we shall never be able to have another Festival performance, and this state of things would occur if the deficit could not be covered at the given time, and at the same time the payments could no longer be postponed. In this case nothing would remain but to declare the undertaking in a state of bankruptcy, and all existing property, after a report to this effect to the patrons, would be turned over to our creditors.
Whatever belongs to the King of Bavaria would be made over to him, and whatever else of value remained be sold to the highest bidder, and the money applied to discharging the remaining debts. For my part, I see no other course to take, as I am forced to doubt exceedingly any further success as the result of my personal efforts, and no one who is acquainted with the strain I have been under would expect me to give concerts and the like at present.
Above all, most esteemed friend, do not interpret this communication as the outburst of a despondent man who is trying to disquiet you in a most terrible manner; on the contrary, I have had ample opportunity of considering my real attitude toward my contemporaries during the past ten months and have accordingly reached this conclusion. I have shown what I can do, and feel myself justified, as well as impelled, to close my artistic career, and regard as my sole duty henceforth the welfare of my friends and my family, which has hitherto been sacrificed (to the success of the undertaking).
With the most cordial greetings to the friends and family, I remain
Your always grateful and 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. 96