Our friend Feustel has received the American remittance; R. must labour with redoubled exertion. Rehearsal of the third act; Herr Niemann ever more unsatisfactory, concealing his impotence beneath vehemence and agitation. The good Kapellmeister Eckert likewise wholly incapable. —
O God, Schnorr and Hans, the studies in Munich [1]! How different it was! I am having troubles with ticket requests! I had a pleasant dream of an artistic exchange between R. L.[2] and Baron Schl., in which the former, for love of me, defended all my views.
[1] This refers to the rehearsals for the premiere of Tristan in Munich in 1865. Cosima was still married to Hans von Bülow at that time, who conducted Tristan. The premiere took place on June 10, 1865; Isolde, presumably the first child of Cosima and Richard Wagner, had been born on April 10.
[2] Rudolph Liechtenstein.
Revised English translation by Jo Cousins [© Jo Cousins | WAGNER Salon]