Book-bot.com - read famous books online for free

My Life — Volume 1 by Richard Wagner
page 297 of 712 (41%)
could in this way confine it to the simple dramatic developments
between the principal characters, without troubling about the
tiresome operatic accessories. From a practical point of view, I
thought I could rely on a better prospect for the acceptance of
my proposed work if it were cast in the form of a one-act opera,
such as was frequently given as a curtain raiser before a ballet
at the Grand Opera. I wrote about it to Meyerbeer in Berlin,
asking for his help. I also resumed the composition of Rienzi, to
the completion of which I was now giving my constant attention.

In the meantime our position became more and more gloomy; I was
soon compelled to draw in advance on the subsidies obtained by
Laube, but in so doing I gradually alienated the sympathy of my
brother-in-law Avenarius, to whom our stay in Paris was
incomprehensible.

One morning, when we had been anxiously consulting as to the
possibility of raising our first quarter's rent, a carrier
appeared with a parcel addressed to me from London; I thought it
was an intervention of Providence, and broke open the seal. At
the same moment a receipt-book was thrust into my face for
signature, in which I at once saw that I had to pay seven francs
for carriage. I recognised, moreover, that the parcel contained
my overture Rule Britannia, returned to me from the London
Philharmonic Society. In my fury I told the bearer that I would
not take in the parcel, whereupon he remonstrated in the
liveliest fashion, as I had already opened it. It was no use; I
did not possess seven francs, and I told him he should have
presented the bill for the carriage before I had opened the
parcel. So I made him return the only copy of my overture to
DigitalOcean Referral Badge