Beschreibung:

WAGNER, Richard (1813-1883) Autograph letter signed ('Richard Wagner') to [Hans von Bronsart], Bayreuth, 6 September 1876. In German. One page, 220 x 142mm, on a bifolium. Envelope, addressed to Bronsart as manager of the Royal Theatre in Hanover. Writing during the first Bayreuth Festival, Wagner plans for the next two years. Wagner offers apologies, as owing to the pressure of business he had forgotten to telegraph 'in relation to the entries for some of your officials to the third cycle of my Bühnenfestspiel [i.e. the Ring]', although he assumes that nothing prevented them from entering. He goes on to announce his intention to maintain the Bayreuth monopoly on the Ring for another two years at least: 'I intend to reserve my Bühnenfestspiel to Bayreuth for another two years, for the purpose of the constant improvement of the productions in it, and must therefore gratefully decline your gracious offer to classify it already in the opera repertoire of the court theatre in Hanover'. The first Bayreuth Festival had opened on 13 August 1876, and included three complete cycles of the Ring – the first time the complete cycles had been performed. The festival was a triumph artistically – but financially a disaster, and in spite of Wagner's plans in the present letter, the second festival was not held until 1882.