Volume I Part 23 (1/2)

After my last letter you will think that I am quite mad Lord knorotevery sober, a troubleso for you

Frau Rockel sentme his address I ask you therefore to forward her the enclosed letter, also two parcels, which I have posted to you today--(l) two little parin”--both h his wife H was really to have the score, but n it to the poor prisoner He must do this for the love of both of us, and Heaven will find hi favours, I go on Be kind enough to send s:--

1 My ”Faust” overture I hope that, if you want it still, you have had a copy made I have a h H Perhaps I shall get a little e to his promise to rin” which I sent to you from Thun by letter in the suns of the scenery I intend to have new designs for the scenery, according to h his intercession, so as to have therin” in future If the Weiinals, they shall be faithfully restored to its or their possession

Have I troubled you enough? When are you going to sendof the about ain reticent Uhlig co on his part What is theat the other who goes a different way

Shall I soon hear frohted I should be!

Farewell, and think of ly

Wholly thine,

RICHARD WAGNER

ZURICH, September 12th, 1852

The parcel will probably arrive a day after this

At Berlin things now tend towards the non-performance of ”Tannhauser” The perfor to my calculation, it could not have been produced before the end of January, and as my niece Johanna leaves Berlin at the end of February, I was compelled to stipulate that ten perforuaranteed for this winter Otherwise there was the danger that this opera too would have disappeared after three or four perfor Dutchman” and ”Rienzi,” which for that reason were cried down as failures If this guarantee is refused, I have given instructions that the score shall be withdrawn

85

DEAREST AND BEST OF FRIENDS,

Seto I live at such a distance from my friends, that I always have a thousand anxieties, especially when I do not receive news fro Tellabout Berlioz or Raff which you ainst them? I have spoken as best I could froard to Berlioz, my intentions are the best

Therefore--a few lines, please! About Berlin everything is now settled, but ”Tannhauser” will not be fully rehearsed till about Dece this delay of the matter, I do not want to trouble Herr von Hullsen with new conditions just yet; but when the time comes, I shall ask you to let oing to Berlin

Belloni, as you know, is here; he has again talked much to me about Paris, and, to my astonishment, I hear that you still have plans of world-conquest for able indeed! To the translation of Tannhauser I have no particular objection, especially as in Roger I ht expect the best Tannhauser that I could think of In addition to this, Johanna-I confess it would not be a for the Paris performance He proposes to make a richly coloured prose translation of the poem; however, I cannot yet think seriously of it

My instructions as to the perfor people to abandon the opera-a very ment of ill-will on their part I am pleased to hear, on the other hand, that Schindelun the rehearsals fro Did you like the paain, I assume that it will be useful to you for that purpose with the stage-ers also may derive excellent and much-needed service from it But why has B become silent onceunbearable; and if I can afford it, I shall go to Paris for the winter How delighted I should be to hear soood orchestra! Confess that I kno to bear much

My nerves are not in the best condition, but I have begun again to work at my poem for an hour or so every day I can find no rest till it is ready, and I hope it will be soon

Farewell, best of all men Let me hear from you soon, and before all that you still love me Farewell

Wholly thine,

RICHARD WAGNER

ZURICH, October 3rd, 1852