From a photograph.
]
In September of the same year he went to Paris with a faint hope of
getting the new work, or one of his earlier ones, produced. M. Carvalho,
of the Théâtre-Lyrique, was favorably inclined toward “Tannhäuser,” but
afraid. Wagner gave a concert and lost money. Then help came from an
unexpected quarter. Under the persuasion of the Princess de Metternich
the Emperor ordered a production of “Tannhäuser” at the Grand Opéra. The
text was translated into French, a great number of rehearsals was held,
$40,000 were spent on the mounting, and Wagner was allowed to select his
own singers. The cast he chose was as follows: Tannhäuser, Niemann;
Elizabeth, Mlle. Saxe; Venus, Mlle. Tedesco; the Shepherd, Mlle. Reboux;
the Landgrave, Cazaux; and Wolfram, Morelli. In his first interview with
the director of the Opera, Wagner was informed that a ballet in the
second act was an absolute necessity, because the subscribers, chiefly
members of the Jockey Club, never arrived till the middle of the
evening, and they demanded a ballet at that time for their especial
delectation. Wagner refused to introduce a meaningless dance into his
second act, but “saw in the first act, at the luxurious court of Venus,
a most perfect opportunity for a choreographic scene of some real
meaning.”[6] In accordance with this idea he rewrote the Venus scene,
arranging what is now known as the Paris version of “Tannhäuser.” M.
Adolphe Jullien’s account of the production on March 13, 1861, and the
ensuing performances (Chap. VIII.) is careful and candid; and it settles
conclusively the fact that the failure of the work was due to the
persistent opposition of the members of the Jockey Club, who blew
hunting whistles, indulged in hisses and catcalls, and otherwise made
such a disturbance that the work did not get a fair hearing. Wagner
withdrew it after three performances, in spite of the increase of
receipts, which ran as follows: first, 7,491 francs (subscription,
2,790); second, 8,415 francs (subscription, 2,758); third, 10,764 francs
(subscription, 230). The smallness of the subscription at the third
performance is accounted for by its having been given on Sunday night in
order to get rid of the irate subscribers, who, nevertheless, went _en
masse_, buying admission tickets. Wagner fully comprehended the meaning
of it all. “Never,” he said, “have I been in the least disposed to doubt
the Parisian public when it is upon an impartial ground.”
Through the intercession of the Princess de Metternich he received
permission in 1861 to return to Germany. The succeeding three years,
owing to the smallness of the royalties on his operas, were years of
pecuniary distress. His hopes in “Tristan” were shattered, for after
fifty-seven rehearsals at Vienna it was shelved as impracticable. In
1861 (May 15) at Vienna he had the pleasure of hearing “Lohengrin” for
the first time. He was encouraged to begin a new work, and he took up
his old sketch of “Die Meistersinger” made in 1845. In “Tannhäuser” he
had drawn a picture of a contest of song among knightly minnesingers; in
this comic opera he gave a humorous representation of a contest among
the common people. In the winter of 1861–62 he finished the libretto,
though he afterwards made alterations. He went to a little place
opposite Mayence to work on the music. He gave a number of concerts to
keep the wolf from the door, and in 1864 published the poem of “Der Ring
des Nibelungen” with a pathetic renunciation of all hope of living to
see it completed or performed. Pecuniary distress finally broke his
spirit, and in 1864 he accepted an invitation to live in Switzerland. He
was on his way thither when his earthly providence intervened.
This providence was the young King Ludwig II. of Bavaria, a sincere
lover of art and a warm admirer of Wagner. Hardly had he mounted the
throne before he sent a messenger after the composer with the words,
“Come here and finish your work.” Wagner’s joy may be imagined. He went
to Munich, where he was provided with a stipend of $500 a year from the
king’s private purse. One of the musician’s first acts was to compose
his familiar “Huldigungs Marsch” (“March of Allegiance”). He received
the royal order to complete the “Nibelungen” in the fall of 1864; his
allowance was increased, and a house given him. The king began to talk
about building a theatre for the production of the tetralogy; “Tristan
und Isolde” was put in preparation, and Hans von Bülow was summoned to
conduct it. On June 10, 1865, this formidable work was produced in exact
accordance with the composer’s ideas. The original cast was as follows:
Tristan, Ludwig Schnorr von Carolsfeld; Isolde, Frau Schnorr von
Carolsfeld; King Mark, Zottmayer; Kurvenal, Mitterwurzer; Melot,
Heinrich; Brangäne, Frl. Deinet; Shepherd, Simons; Steersman, Hartmann.
In December, 1865, the composer went to live at the Villa Triebschen, on
Lake Lucerne, where he finished “Die Meistersinger,” twenty-two years
after he had made the first sketch. It was produced under Von Bülow at
Munich on June 21, 1868, with these principals: Eva, Frl. Mallinger;
Magdalena, Frau Dietz; Hans Sachs, Betz; Walther, Nachbauer; David,
Schlosser; Beckmesser, Hölzel. While at Triebschen he also continued his
work on the “Nibelungen,” and in June, 1870, had finished the first act
of “Die Götterdämmerung.”
It was in this year that he married a second time. His first wife had
never understood his artistic ideas, and the two were wholly without
sympathy, though Wagner never ceased to speak with kindness of Mina. His
professional intercourse with Von Bülow led to his intimate acquaintance
with Cosima von Bülow, the daughter of Liszt. Wagner found in her the
comprehension and sympathy which he craved. Mina was unable to endure
the supremacy of the more brilliant woman, and in 1861 left her husband
and went to Dresden. She died in 1866, and in 1870, Cosima, having
secured a divorce from Von Bülow, became Mme. Wagner, destined to
survive her husband and perpetuate his triumphs.
Now began the remarkable series of events with which Wagner’s career
culminated. The king abandoned his idea of building a Wagner theatre in
Munich, and the composer selected Bayreuth as a place adapted, by reason
of its seclusion, to the consummation of his ambitious plans. Money had
to be raised, and Emil Heckel, of Mannheim, conceived the notion of
Wagner Societies. The success of his scheme was beyond expectation. Such
organizations were founded all over the world—even in Milan and New
York—and more than $200,000 was subscribed. Wagner settled in Bayreuth
in April, 1872, and on May 22 gave a concert to celebrate the beginning
of the building of the theatre. The music of the tetralogy was finished
in November, 1874, and rehearsals were begun under Hans Richter. The
first performances were given on Aug. 13, 14, 16, and 17. The work was
twice repeated in the same month. The principals were: Wotan, Betz;
Loge, Vogel; Alberich, Hill; Mime, Schlosser; Fricka, Frau Grün; Donner
and Gunther, Gura; Erda and Waltraute, Frau Jaïde; Siegmund, Niemann;
Sieglinde, Frl. Schefzky; Brünnhilde, Frau Materna; Siegfried, Unger;
Hagen, Siehr; Gutrune, Frl. Weckerlin; Rhinedaughters, Frl. Lili and
Marie Lehmann and Frl. Lambert; concert-master, Wilhemj; conductor, Hans
Richter. The performances, like all successive festivals at Bayreuth,
attracted music lovers from all over the world and called forth volumes
of criticism, favorable and bitterly unfavorable.
[Illustration: