Volume II Part 32 (1/2)

Your

RICHARD W

It would be a good omen if this letter were to reach you on your birthday

272

VENICE, October 23rd, 1858

After I had settled with R on the 21st that ere to congratulate you jointly on your birthday, he came to rae I ordered a dinner with oysters and chane in the Square of St Mark, to which a military band played the overture of ”Rienzi” lasses, and had a

Of this I send you documentary evidence by this letter

Your

R W

273

VENICE, October 26th, 1858

DEAREST FRANZ,

I have just had a letter fro to religious scruples I want hout everywhere for a little business I have just offered ement If you can help me there, do so

I should not like lected in a surprising hit about that they should buy ”Lohengrin” and the ”Dutchman” as well? Think of this and help s from your

R W

274

DEAREST RICHARD,

R's telegram of October 21st was received with joyful accla, was the most welcome birthday present on account of the calm, conciliatory mood which I felt in it May you soon resu on with ”Tristan”, of which as yet I do not know a single note In accordance with your last letter, I have asked the Hartels to lend raver does not want it any longer

Your hints as to the perfor Dutchman”, and ”Rienzi” in Cassel, Gotha, and other cities will not be neglected, and I need not assure you again that I shall do all in”Rienzi” froiven here in January Be kind enough to reply to Dingelstedt's letter with so this reelstedt a little more favourably towards the performance of your works and to co-operate with him in perfect sympathy That co-operation is of iards ”Tristan”, which will ly wish, will open your return to Germany, but chiefly with a view to the perforoal The honorarium of 25 louis d'or which our theatrical exchequer can offer you is very small, but I advise you to accept it, and take it upon et you a small douceur from the Grand Duke's privy purse later on

I should like to have Tichatschek for the first two perforh that would increase the expense considerably But I have a great liking for hiet him some distinction froave ”Komala” by Sobolewski I do not knohether you have seen a small pamphlet ”Opera, not Drama,” which he published last year as an introduction to his opera The following beautiful comparison occurs in it: ”The words are the hard, transparent pieces of incense, the es from the thick clouds of ss I cannot agree with hiards the uish himself froner says, OPERA NOT,--DRAMA; I say OPERA, NOT DRAMA” His ”Komala” is better than his comma, and his practice much better than his theory There is much in it that would please you, and has undoubtedly been originated by ”Lohengrin” Sobolerote ”Komala” at first in three acts, and had it done in that form at Bremen Afterwards, in honour of operatic theory, and probably persuaded by the critics who thirst for contrasts and operatic tunes, he added two actsone of the Queen in the ”Huguenots”, and the inevitable drinking chorus By his desire I preserved the five acts at the first performance, but at the second I omitted the two additional ones without any consideration, or rather, for very good considerations, and shall even take the liberty of altering his finale, which has been fashi+oned after your finale of the second act of ”Tannhauser”

(”nach Roenia in Aulis” In that manner the ill appear in its only true form, and may keep its place as a fine musical cloud-and-mist picture in perfect accord with Ossian's poem For your private benefit I send you a few motives from ”Komala”, which I copied for you