It is nothing but work with me at present, and work of the most vexatious kind. For the last five months I have had entirely to lay aside the composition of my new opera [Tannhäuser], which I had only just begun, and have been so busy over the constantly postponed publication of my two earlier operas. It has meant an ocean of labour and in spite of great industry the full pianoforte version of Rienzi (which is frightfully difficult, as bad as three other operas put together) will not appear till the middle of August, and the Flying Dutchman not till some weeks later. I therefore intend to take my leave in the latter half of August and go into the country, to Pillnitz perhaps. I can then finish my new opera there.
Please tell Edward that I have given up the idea of securing the copyrights of my operas in French, as the thing is too complicated. And now Edward is leaving Paris. To whom could I entrust my affairs there? I have a publisher in London, the most important of them too, Beale, who is himself much inclined to have my opera produced at an English theatre.
Things go very well with Albert. He does not know I am writing to-day. Johanna is getting on splendidly. The day before yesterday she sang Irene in Rienzi and surpassed all her predecessors in the part. Lord! What must their feelings be now!
Richard Wagner
Source: Letters of Richard Wagner, Volume 1, ed. Altmann/Hull (London: Dent, 1927), No. 108