Wagner's Letters

Richard Wagner to Franz Liszt

July 1, 1848 · Dresden

Overview

Wagner tells Liszt that his financial situation has become desperate and that Liszt's influence may be his last hope of setting his affairs in order. He urgently begs Liszt to come to Dresden in person, offering him eventual ownership of his operas if his intervention can save him.

Letter

Best of friends,

Here am I, fighting for death or life, and I do not know what the end will be. I have written to my lawyer to tell him of my last hope: that by your energetic interference my affairs may possibly be arranged. Your name will go far in the transaction, but your person still farther; let me have the latter for a day, but very soon. According to news which has reached me here, I shall next Wednesday or Thursday have to undertake a journey which will keep me away from Dresden for a fortnight. Performances of my operas I cannot, for that and other reasons, offer you.

Could you make up your mind to come here very quickly even without the expectation of one of my operas? If I offer you no performances, you shall, on the other hand, that is my most ardent wish, possess all my operas as your hereditary property. Do come! Your personality will do much good, more than my personality will be able to do all my life; for I cannot help myself.

Richard Wagner

Source: Project Gutenberg eBook #3835, Correspondence of Wagner and Liszt — Volume 1, No. 6

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