Category: Cosima Wagner Diaries

The King’s birthday, he is spending it in Versailles. I go to church and am very moved by the few words the parson says on this occasion, taking as his text the words of Solomon concerning the felicity of a nation with a noble king. — R., to whom I…

Several interruptions, besides that, calls to be made. R. receives Herr Brandt, great annoyance caused by Herr Hoffmann, who, having finished his model three weeks ago, goes off on a trip to the Rhine without leaving his address. Lengthy consideration of whether to open the packing cases, it is decided…

During the night R. woke up in tears, kissed me, and said he had just dreamed that I wished to leave him—both him and the children—there was nothing else I could do! Soon after he told me this, a letter comes from friend Klindworth, saying that Hans is seriously ill;…

Wrote some letters, much catching up to be done! Friend Niemann to lunch, R. very worn out, but rallies to defend Schiller, on whom N. cast aspersions, and also to impart to the sceptic his feelings about immortality.  When he asks him whether in his enthusiasm for the beautiful he…

R. very much indisposed, has to remain in bed until noon. Herr Niemann goes hunting. In the afternoon Herr Voltz, whom R. has to take severely to task, for he has had the impertinence to demand a Prussian decoration for a possible consent to do Tristan und Isolde Also they…

R. unfortunately not well, he cannot stand this constant disturbance; at lunch, to which we had invited Herr Niemann, he felt so indisposed that he had to leave the table. I walk up to the theater with our singer and the children.  In the evening R. feels somewhat recovered. Frl….