Category: Cosima Wagner Diaries

The weather has turned mild again. Worked much with Lusch. — A lot of bills are coming in; I remark to R. how curious it is that I, who have never known real financial need, should be in a constant state of worry, whereas he, who has suffered so much…

Much to do with Maurer, the hall is not yet finished. R. works, wonders frequently, since he never hears the orchestra, whether he is not using too many instruments. After lunch childhood memories; he used to pronounce Shakespeare “Shar-kespay-ar” until a Frau Dr. Schneider, with whom his family spent one…

Very cold weather; in the morning R. calls to me that I should put on two furs for our coffee in the summerhouse. As the children are in church, we can settle various, things (letter to the singer Scaria, also to Sascha Ritter about the conductor’s post in Hamburg). In…

Lessons for Lusch; reflections on a boarding school, first gymnastic lesson.  R. reads Finlay in the morning and sees a parallel between the ideals of the Roman and the German Empires: “Just as it was a matter of great pride to regard oneself as a Roman citizen even when there…

R. works and is satisfied with the Marienbad water. I settle correspondence and domestic upsets. A part of Götterdammerung with Richter in the afternoon. In the evening third act of Die Walküre.

Nothing but unpleasantness. The architect has got the service accommodation completely wrong, complaints, on top of that paper-hanger bunglings, and ever-mounting costs! But fortunately R. is able to work.  R. goes through Götterdämmerung with Richter in the afternoon, various parts of Die Walküre with the other musicians in the evening….