Wagner, Richard

asking for financial assistance, outlining the reasons for his present predicament, stating that since the receipts for his works upon which he depends are very variable, being neither fixed nor substantial, he is prey to periods of hardship, explaining that he has expectations of good receipts from the sale of the score of his opera Tristan und Isolde, the orchestral score of which has just been engraved, describing how a failed attempt to have the opera performed at Karlsruhe has forced him to choose between giving his score to theatres without insisting that he assist at the first performance, or waiting [until an opportunity arises where he may assist] without being able to make any money, informing him of a plan to perform the opera in May in the Salle Ventadour, stating that his requests for advances from his German publisher have failed and that his last move has exhausted much of his resources, explaining that Schott has agreed to advance him 7,500 francs of the 10,000 he requested for the score of Rheingold, enclosing their letter [not included here], and requesting in the meantime the sum of 4000 francs, which he will repay in six months 

 



...Maintenant j'avais compté de faire des belles recettes par la vente de mon nouvel ouvrage "Tristan et Isolde" aux théâtres, dont la grande partition d'orchestre vient d'être gravée et imprimée. Comme il m'est impossible de consentir à une première représentation de cet Opéra sans que j'y assiste en personne, j'avais compté sur la promesse du Grand duc de Bade, de me faire venir à Carlsruhe pour une première représentation qui devait avoir lieu là bas ce 3 decembre passé. Malheureusement les forces artistiques de ce théâtre n'ont pas suffi à la tache...



 



4 pages, 8vo, blind-stamped with the composer's monogram ("RW"), some later pencil annotations to final page, with a modern typescript transcription, Paris, 16 rue Newton, 29 December 1859, some very light spotting, traces of mount

Richard Wagner: Sämtliche Briefe, xi (1999), no 267 (text incomplete)

Condition is described in the main body of the cataloguing, where appropriate
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

This was written during the second of the composer's two extended stays in the French capital (September 1859-April 1861), where he oversaw the production of a new version of Tannhäuser. Having recently completed the score of Tristan (in August 1859), Wagner was also entertaining hopes for a Paris première. In the event, this fell through, as did similar plans for Karlsruhe and Vienna, and the work was first given only on 10 June 1865, at the Munich Hofoper under the direction of Hans von Bülow. Tannhäuser fared no better in Paris, its staging there in 1861 resulting in a celebrated débâcle.