Dear Friend Heckel,
Many thanks! Much toil and trouble. I would gladly see Herr v. Reichenberg, but my time is now scant, which brings me to the prayer that you would put things straight with Herr Knapp. Since the Herren Kapellmeister behave so badly, I've become tired of higgling and haggling. But Knapp really interests me. Let him but arrange his time well, according to the order of rehearsals, i.e. I need him only for the Rheingold, and — if he will sing a Clansman — for Götterdämmerung; during the other pieces he is welcome to star for himself and so on, nor would I willingly pay for the time when he lies idle here, especially to benefit the Mannheim pension fund.
As regards Herr Unger, at this moment I'm still most uncertain about it. You know that!
I am awaiting news, according to which I hope to see Tristan in Munich by April the 5th at latest: if Frau Vogl comes up to my wishes, and if I can secure her for Sieglinde, there's little doubt but that I shall have to take her husband also. Now, I have no other part to offer him, save Loge. In that case I shouldn't quite know what to do with Herr Unger, whom as yet I know so little. Nevertheless the latter has left with me a memory which moves me — in any case — to make his closer acquaintance. For that purpose he would have to spend a little time in my vicinity, were it merely for sake of learning from me something useful to himself. Only, I can pay him no keep. Just see what can be managed in the matter. In the event of Frau Vogl's definitively dissatisfying me, Unger would certainly appear as Loge.
I've lately gone through a deal of racket, and also am not well. But everything must come right in the end.
Hearty greeting from
Your
trusty
Richard Wagner.
Reichenberg would certainly find me at Bayreuth from now till the first day or two in April.
Source: Letters of Richard Wagner to Emil Heckel, with a Brief History of the Bayreuth Festivals, trans. William Ashton Ellis (Grant Richards, 1899), No. 60