. Richard Wagner : his life and works . imself, as a Protestant, betweenthe Catholics, who could not pardon him for winning thekings affection, and the Jews, who still allowed his pamphletto rankle in their hearts; as an author, between a blindintendant and clumsy decorators. In this difficult situation,it seemed best for him to return to Lucerne, and his friendshad no difficulty in persuading him to this effect. Hans Richter, for his part, refused to conduct such abadly prepared representation; as for the singer Betz, heleft for Berlin the same day, in order to escape from vainsolicitations.


. Richard Wagner : his life and works . imself, as a Protestant, betweenthe Catholics, who could not pardon him for winning thekings affection, and the Jews, who still allowed his pamphletto rankle in their hearts; as an author, between a blindintendant and clumsy decorators. In this difficult situation,it seemed best for him to return to Lucerne, and his friendshad no difficulty in persuading him to this effect. Hans Richter, for his part, refused to conduct such abadly prepared representation; as for the singer Betz, heleft for Berlin the same day, in order to escape from vainsolicitations. Notwithstanding these serious drawbacks, theroyal intendant was expected to be forthcoming with a per-formance of the Rheingold, which the king was determinedto see at any cost. There was a lively rushing about atthe eleventh hour, to get a bass singer and a leader, Saint-Saens being urged to fill the latter post; butat every hand they met with a peremptory refusal. As acrowning blow, Hans von Bulow sent word that he was RICHARD WAGNER, ABOUT by M. E. de Liphart. 242 RICHARD WAGNER There was no help for it, and they were obliged to announceto the king the radical impossibility of bringing out theRheingold before the end of September at the very chapter of accidents only acted as a stimulus to thekings affection for the composer, and in spite of the effortsof his counsellors, who were too clever not to make the mostof this disaster, he took no rest until the performance ofThe Rheingold was an accomplished fact. In order not tolose the results of the studies made and the money expended,no time was lost in sending for the machinist Brandt, of Darmstadt, to repairthe clumsy makeshifts ofthe Munich baritone, Kinder-mann, took the place ofBetz, and Eberle wascharged with carrying onthe studies which HansRichter had deserted atthe last moment. Before


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Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade1890, bookidrichardwagne, bookyear1892