Thursday 2nd (2nd March, 1876)

Paid visits, received visitors, at half past six “Lohengrin,” R.’s magical direction works wonders; the orchestra plays the Prelude as I have never heard it before, the chorus is magnificent, unfortunately, the individual singers are more than mediocre, incorrect, without voice, without expression. More and more do I perceive the impossibility of establishing anything sublime in these existing theatres. —

Late in the evening alone with R.; I am in a melancholy mood, and fatigued to the point of utter exhaustion.

^{Revised English translation by Jo Cousins [© Jo Cousins | WAGNER Salon]}

Further Documents:

Diary of Felix Mottl