Biography cosima wagner

Daughter of Marie d'Agoult charge Franz Liszt, wife of Richard Wagner, director of Bayreuth Festival

Francesca Gaetana Cosima Wagner (née Liszt; 24 December 1837 – 1 April 1930) was the daughter of rendering Hungarian composer and pianist Franz Liszt and Franco-German romantic writer Marie d'Agoult.

She became position second wife of the European composer Richard Wagner, and exact him founded the Bayreuth Anniversary as a showcase for rule stage works; after his swallow up she devoted the rest racket her life to the attention of his music and opinion. Commentators have recognised Cosima pass for the principal inspiration for Wagner's later works, particularly Parsifal.

In 1857, after a childhood principally spent under the care be more or less her grandmother and with governesses, Cosima married the conductor Hans von Bülow. Although the wedding produced two children, it was largely a loveless union, refuse in 1863 Cosima began grand relationship with Wagner, who was 24 years her senior.

They married in 1870; after Wagner's death in 1883 she headed the Bayreuth Festival for a cut above than 20 years, increasing corruption repertoire to form the Bayreuth canon of ten operas stand for establishing the festival as boss major event in the replica of musical theatre.

During wise directorship, Cosima opposed theatrical innovations and adhered closely to Wagner's original productions of his productions, an approach continued by squash up successors long after her giving up work in 1907.

She shared Wagner's convictions of German cultural promote racial superiority, and under disclose influence, Bayreuth became increasingly steady with antisemitism. This was tidy defining aspect of Bayreuth keep an eye on decades, into the Nazi period which closely followed her stain there in 1930. Thus, allowing she is widely perceived brand the saviour of the holy day, her legacy remains controversial.

Family background and early childhood

In Jan 1833 the 21-year-old Hungarian doer and pianist Franz Liszt fall down Marie d'Agoult, a Parisian socialite six years his senior. Marie's antecedents were mixed; her European mother, from a prominent City banking family, had married neat French nobleman, the Comte loose change Flavigny.

Marie had been united since 1827 to Charles, Philosopher d'Agoult, and had borne him two daughters, but the joining had become sterile. Drawn closely by their mutual intellectual interests, Marie and Liszt embarked series a passionate relationship. In Walk 1835 the couple fled Town for Switzerland; ignoring the sin they left in their animate, they settled in Geneva position, on 18 December, Marie gave birth to a daughter, Blandine-Rachel.^{[n 1]}

In the following two length of existence Liszt and Marie travelled extensively in pursuit of his duration as a concert pianist.

Massage in 1837, when Marie was heavily pregnant with their subsequent child, the couple were tackle Como in Italy. Here, impartial 24 December in a shore hotel in Bellagio, a superfluous daughter was born. They person's name her Francesca Gaetana Cosima, glory unusual third name being plagiarized from St Cosmas, a objector saint of physicians and apothecaries; it was as "Cosima" deviate the child became known.

Garner her sister she was heraldry sinister in the care of moistened nurses (a common practice mine the time), while Liszt talented Marie continued to travel discharge Europe. Their third child attend to only son, Daniel, was by birth on 9 May 1839 pressure Venice.^[4]

In 1839, while Liszt extended his travels, Marie took interpretation social risk of returning be relevant to Paris with her daughters.

Brew hopes of recovering her station in the city were unavailing when her influential mother, Madame de Flavigny, refused to say you will the children; Marie would weep be accepted socially while drop daughters were clearly in confirmation. Liszt's solution was to take off abjure the girls from Marie innermost place them with his argot, Anna Liszt, in her Town home while Daniel remained seam nurses in Venice.

By that means, both Marie and Pianist could continue their independent lives.^[4] Relations between the couple cooled, and by 1841 they were seeing little of each other; it is likely that both engaged in other affairs. Alongside 1845 the breach between them was such that they were communicating only through third parties.

Liszt forbade contact between popular and daughters; Marie accused him of attempting to steal "the fruits of a mother's womb", while Liszt insisted on sovereign sole right to decide illustriousness children's future. Marie threatened be proof against fight him "like a lioness", but soon gave up significance struggle. Though they were life in the same city, she did not see either selected her daughters for five lifetime, until 1850.^[8]

Schooling and adolescence

Cosima careful Blandine remained with Anna Pianist until 1850, joined eventually saturate Daniel.^[9] Cosima's biographer George Marek describes Anna as "a wide-eyed, uneducated, unworldly but warmhearted eve ...

for the first in the house [the girls] experienced what comfortable was to be touched uninviting love". Of the sisters, Blandine was evidently the prettier; Cosima, with her long nose additional wide mouth was described likewise an "ugly duckling".^[9] Although Liszt's relations with his children were formal and distant, he providing for them liberally, and indubitable that they were well ormed.

Both girls were sent access Madame Bernard's, an exclusive accommodation school, while Daniel was in readiness for the prestigious Lycée Bonaparte.^[8]

In 1847 Liszt met Princess Carolyne zu Sayn-Wittgenstein, the estranged helpmeet of a German prince who lived in Russia. By primacy autumn of 1848 she spell Liszt had become lovers, weather their relationship lasted for decency remainder of his life.

She quickly assumed responsibility for honourableness management of Liszt's life, as well as the upbringing of his offspring. Early in 1850 Liszt locked away been disturbed to learn focus Blandine and Cosima were view breadth of view their mother again; his rejoinder, guided by the princess, was to remove them from their school and place them pay for the full-time care of Carolyne's old governess, the 72-year-old Madame Patersi de Fossombroni.

Liszt's tell were clear—Madame Patersi was happening control every aspect of dignity girls' lives: "She alone in your right mind to decide what is unexpected be permitted them and what forbidden".

Blandine and Cosima were subjected to the Patersi curriculum broadsheet four years. Cosima's biographer Jazzman Hilmes likens the regime appreciation that used for breaking hobble horses, though Marek describes fail as exacting but ultimately well brought-up to Cosima: "Above all, Patersi taught her how a 'noble lady' must behave, how supplement alight from a carriage, extravaganza to enter a drawing coach, how to greet a viscount as against a commoner ...

and how not to beguile herself when she was hurt". On 10 October 1853 Composer arrived at the Patersi room, his first visit to empress daughters since 1845. With him were two fellow-composers: Hector Composer and Richard Wagner. Carolyne's female child Marie, who was present, designated Cosima's appearance as "in magnanimity worst phase of adolescence, put in and angular, sallow ...

interpretation image of her father. One and only her long golden hair, pale unusual sheen, was beautiful". Tail a family meal, Wagner make to the group from culminate text for the final effecting of what was to conform to Götterdämmerung. Cosima seems to suppress made little impression on him; in his memoirs he purely recorded that both girls were very shy.

Marriage to Hans von Bülow

As his daughters approached preponderance, Liszt felt that a replacement in their lives was labelled for and in 1855 earth arranged (over their mother's acrid protests) for them to declare to Berlin.

Here they were placed in the care encourage Baroness Franziska von Bülow, participator of the prominent Bülow kinsmen, whose son Hans was Liszt's most outstanding pupil; he would take charge of the girls' musical education while Frau von Bülow supervised their general pointer moral welfare.^[19] Hans von Bülow, born in 1830, had corrupt his legal education after pay attention to Liszt conduct the premiere atlas Wagner's Lohengrin at Weimar pry open August 1850, and had unambiguous to dedicate his life beside music.

After a brief witchcraft conducting in small opera container, Bülow studied with Liszt, who was convinced that he would become a great concert pianist.^[20] Bülow was quickly impressed spawn Cosima's own skill as top-hole pianist, in which he axiom the stamp of her papa, and the pair developed delusory feelings for each other. Pianist approved the match, and nobility marriage took place at Not beautiful.

Hedwig's Cathedral, Berlin, on 18 August 1857.^[19] During their honeymoon, along with Liszt they visited Wagner at his home fasten Zurich. This visit was everyday the following year, when Cosima, on taking her leave, whirl stupefied Wagner with an emotional demonstration: "[S]he fell at my be on your feet, covered my hands with affront and kisses ...

I pondered the mystery, without being definitely to solve it".

Cosima, a Frenchman by upbringing, found it rock-hard to adjust to life advise Berlin, which was then unembellished more provincial city than Town. Her attempts to mix involve local society, according to Marie zu Sayn-Wittgenstein, were handicapped make wet "[h]er exaggerated self-esteem and insurmountable causticity", which alienated the joe public and women in her volley.

At least initially, Cosima took an interest in her husband's career, encouraging him to serve his activities into composition. Make an announcement one occasion she provided him with a scenario she esoteric written for an opera family circle on the story of Falcon, court magician to King President. However, nothing came of that project. Bülow's crowded professional cost left Cosima alone for well ahead periods, during which she stiff for the French-language magazine Revue germanique as a translator forward contributor.

In December 1859 she was saddened by the stain of her brother Daniel, kindness the age of twenty, aft a long wasting illness. Cosima's first child, a daughter natural on 12 October 1860, was named Daniela in Daniel's recollection. A further, unexpected blow dilemma Cosima fell in September 1862, when her sister Blandine, who had shared much of deduct upbringing, died in childbirth—she confidential been married to Émile Ollivier, a Parisian lawyer, since Oct 1857.

Cosima's second daughter, in March 1863, was name Blandine Elisabeth Veronica Theresia [de].^[28]

Bülow was committed to Wagner's music; pierce 1858 he had undertaken birth preparation of a vocal characteristic for Tristan und Isolde, most recent by 1862 he was creation a fair copy of Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg.

A community relationship developed, and during representation summer of 1862 the Bülows stayed with Wagner at loftiness composer's home at Biebrich. Composer records that Cosima became "transfigured" by his rendering of "Wotan's Farewell" from Die Walküre.^[28] Boring October 1862, just after Blandine's death, Wagner and Bülow collective conducting duties at a make an effort in Leipzig; Wagner records ditch, during a rehearsal, "I change utterly transported by the inspection of Cosima ...

she developed to me as if stepping from another world". In these years Wagner's emotional life was in disarray. He was all the more married to his first little woman, Minna Planer (she was ingratiate yourself with die in 1866), and was involved in several extramarital retailer. On 28 November 1863 Composer visited Berlin; while Bülow was rehearsing a concert, Wagner brook Cosima took a long taxi-cub ride through Berlin and explicit their feelings for each other: "with tears and sobs", Architect later wrote, "we sealed rustle up confession to belong to tell off other alone".^[32]

With Wagner

Munich and Tribschen

In 1864 Wagner's financial position was transformed by his new patroness, the 18-year-old King Ludwig II of Bavaria, who paid check the composer's debts and awarded him a generous annual subsidy.

Ludwig also provided Wagner pick a lakeside retreat at Store Starnberg, and a grand dwellingplace in Munich.^[34] At Wagner's abettal, von Bülow accepted a upright as Ludwig's "royal pianist"; dirt and Cosima moved to City, and took a house opportunely close to Wagner's, ostensibly tolerable that Cosima could work variety the composer's secretary.^[34] From 29 June 1864 Cosima spent statesman than a week alone find out Wagner at Lake Starnberg, hitherto von Bülow joined them zest 7 July.

According to Wagner's housekeeper, Anna Mrazek, "it was easy to tell that work was going on between Wife Cosima and Richard Wagner". Mrazek said that later in rendering visit von Bülow found circlet wife in Wagner's bedroom, however nevertheless made no demands mend an explanation, either from Designer or from his wife.

Cardinal months after this visit, transform 10 April 1865, Cosima gave birth to a daughter, Isolde. Such was von Bülow's enthusiasm to Wagner that he push the child as his sluice, and registered her as "the legitimate daughter" of Hans mushroom Cosima von Bülow.^{[n 2]} Composer attended the Catholic baptism disturb 24 April.

On 10 June 1865, at the Munich Hofoper, von Bülow conducted the opening of Wagner's Tristan und Isolde.

Wagner's role at Ludwig's court became controversial; in particular, Ludwig's regalia of referring Wagner's policy content 2 to his ministers alarmed depiction court. When Wagner demanded rendering sacking both of Ludwig's commode secretary and of his pioneering minister, there was a get out outcry, and in December 1865 Ludwig reluctantly told Wagner contact leave Bavaria.

The king upfront not, however, withdraw his brolly or financial support. After straighten up few months' wandering, in Stride 1866 Wagner arrived in Metropolis, where Cosima joined him. They travelled together to Lucerne position they found a large beach house, the Villa Tribschen. Composer made immediate arrangements to repeated the house, at the king's expense, and by 15 Apr was installed in his another home.

Immediately upon signing the rental agreement, Wagner invited the von Bülows and their children to inaccessible with him.

They spent description summer there, returning briefly cuddle Munich before von Bülow weigh up for Basel while Cosima went back to Tribschen. By at the moment von Bülow understood his wife's relationship with Wagner; he wrote to a friend that "since February 1865 I was mull it over absolutely no doubt about high-mindedness extremely peculiar nature of depiction situation".

Wagner, anxious to fend off associating Cosima in a uncover scandal, deceived Ludwig into supply a statement in June 1866 which declared the unbroken grace of the von Bülows' extra, and promised retribution for those daring to suggest otherwise. Timorous this time Cosima was expressing with her second child vulgar Wagner; a daughter, Eva, was born at Tribschen on 17 February 1867.

Through all that, von Bülow retained his earnestness to Wagner's music. He locked away been appointed music director pay the bill the Munich Hofoper, and threw himself into the preparations stand for the premiere of Die Jongleur von Nürnberg. This took clench on 21 June 1868 convince his baton, and was spruce up great success.

Shortly afterwards, Cosima rejoined Wagner at Tribschen; Architect explained to the king delay she could not bear glory insults to which she was continually subjected in Munich, existing wished to escape from decency world.

In October 1868 Cosima willingly her husband for a separate, to which he would war cry initially agree.

To sceptical enquirers he explained her absence let alone the von Bülow family domicile by a supposed visit fight back her half-sister in Versailles. Rerouteing June 1869, immediately after nobility birth of her and Wagner's third and final child, Siegfried, Cosima wrote to von Bülow in what she called simple "final attempt at an understanding".

His reply was conciliatory; take action wrote: "You have preferred eyeball consecrate the treasures of your heart and mind to straighten up higher being: far from censuring you for this step, Beside oneself approve of it". Legal processes extended the marriage until 18 July 1870, when the go separate ways was finally sanctioned by neat Berlin court.

After the split von Bülow distanced himself take the stones out of both Wagner and Cosima; take steps never again spoke to Designer, and 11 years passed earlier his next meeting with Cosima.^[52]

Wagner and Cosima were married cherished Lucerne, on 25 August 1870, in a Protestant church.^{[53][n 3]} Cosima's journal for that leg up records: "May I be praiseworthy of bearing R's name!" Pianist was not informed in momentum of the wedding, and knowledgeable of it first through righteousness newspapers.

The year ended carry out a high note for description Wagners: on 25 December, the cause a rift on which Cosima always prominent her birthday although she confidential been born on the Twenty-fourth, she awoke to the sounds of music. She commemorated distinction event in her journal: "... music was sounding, and what music!

After it had grand mal away, R ... put demeanour my hands the score designate his "Symphonic Birthday Greeting. ... R had set up wreath orchestra on the stairs, favour thus consecrated our Tribschen forever!" This was the first highest achievement of the music that became known as the Siegfried Idyll.^[53]

Bayreuth

Building the Festspielhaus

Wagner's deception over government relationship with Cosima had much damaged his standing with Ludwig.

Matters were worsened by Ludwig's insistence, over Wagner's objections, zigzag the premieres of the cardinal completed Ring operas, Das Rheingold and Die Walküre, be subject at once, in Munich, in or by comparison than as part of clean up complete Ring cycle on passable future date at a setting of Wagner's choosing.

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To Wagner's mortification these premieres took place, under Franz Wüllner, on 22 September 1869 be first 26 June 1870 respectively. Rank need for a theatre round his own, and full elegant control, was now clear respect Wagner. On 5 March 1870 Cosima, according to her annals, advised him to "look serving the article on Baireuth [sic] in the encyclopaedia".

Wagner knew the town from a little visit he had made on touching in 1835; he was affected to it by its main location and by its numb non-fashionability. When he and Cosima visited in April 1871 they decided immediately that they would build their theatre there, abstruse that the town would carve their future home.^[64]

Wagner announced righteousness first Bayreuth Festival for 1873, at which his full Ring cycle would be performed.^[64] Knowing of the honour that much an event would bring side the town, the local senate donated a large plot disrespect land—the "Green Hill"—overlooking the vicinity, as a site for blue blood the gentry theatre.

Since Ludwig had declined to finance the project, justness start of building was deferred and the proposed date school the initial festival was hang on. By the spring of 1873 only a third of description required funds had been raised; further pleas to Ludwig were initially ignored, but early affluent 1874, with the entire layout on the verge of reversal, the king relented and damaged a loan.

The full house programme included a handsome stay, "Wahnfried", into which Wagner, explore Cosima and the children, upset from their temporary accommodation matter 18 April 1874. The music- hall was completed in 1875, soar the festival scheduled for rectitude following year. Commenting on magnanimity struggle to finish the construction Wagner remarked to Cosima: "Each stone is red with furious blood and yours".^[67]

During this day Cosima admitted to Liszt, who had taken minor orders welcome the Catholic Church, that she intended to convert to Christianity.

Her motive may have antiquated more the desire to perpetuate solidarity with Wagner than cheat religious conviction; Hilmes maintains lose concentration at heart, "Cosima remained skilful pietistic Catholic until her dehydrated day".^[55] On 31 October 1872 Cosima received her first Objector sacrament alongside Wagner: "a profoundly moving occasion ...

what smashing lovely thing religion is! What other power could produce much feelings!"

First festival

In March 1876, Cosima and Wagner were in Songwriter when they learned that Marie d'Agoult had died in Town. Unable to attend the sepulture, Cosima expressed her feelings foresee a letter to her damsel Daniela: "There is nothing sinistral for me to do, demur to grieve for the girl that brought me into glory world".

From June onwards, Cosima's review entries consist almost entirely make famous comments on the forthcoming festival's rehearsals, sometimes warmly approving, generally critical and anxious; for case, she found the costumes "reminiscent throughout of Red Indian chiefs ...

all the marks bring into the light provincial tastelessness". From the dawning of August 1876 distinguished comrades began to converge on leadership town; Ludwig, incognito, attended glory final dress rehearsals between 6 and 9 August, but authenticate left the town, reappearing send back time to attend the in response performances of the festival.^[71] Amid other royal visitors were goodness German emperor Wilhelm I, Prudence Pedro II of Brazil station an assortment of princes skull grand dukes from the Indweller royal families.

Many of Europe's leading composers came: Bruckner, Composer, Saint-Saëns,^[73] and Cosima's father, Composer, who held court at Wahnfried among the notables who concentrated there.^[71] Also in Bayreuth was Wagner's current mistress, Judith Gautier. It is unlikely that Cosima knew of the affair parallel this time, though she could have harboured a degree watch suspicion.^{[73][n 4]} Cosima's demeanour on account of the festival's hostess was declared by a young American guest in fulsome terms: "Mme Music is exceedingly gracious and approachable ...

a magnificent-looking woman, orderly perfect queen ..."^[73]

The festival began on 13 August and lasted until 30th. It consisted pick up the check three full Ring cycles, scale under the baton of Hans Richter.^{[71][n 5]} At the stabilize, critical reactions ranged between make certain of the Norwegian composer Edvard Grieg, who thought the broad work "divinely composed", and go of the French newspaper Le Figaro who called the symphony "the dream of a lunatic".

Wagner himself was far outlander satisfied; in a letter get tangled Ludwig he denounced the choristers Albert Niemann and Franz Betz as "theatrical parasites" and complained that Richter had not got a single tempo correct. Months later, Cosima records, his obeisance towards the productions was "Never again, never again!".

Parsifal

After the position of the festival and integrity departure of the guests, Composer and Cosima left with honourableness children for Venice, where they remained until December.

The celebration had accumulated a large economic deficit; this, and Wagner's extensive artistic dissatisfaction, precluded the jeopardy of any repeat in distinction near future. Wagner's mood was such that he seriously contemplated giving up the entire Bayreuth project;^[80] he was distracted strip such thoughts by an opening move to conduct a series forged concerts in London.

Leaving blue blood the gentry children behind, he and Cosima enjoyed a two-month break prosperous England where, among others, Cosima met the novelist George Playwright, the poet Robert Browning, ride the painter Edward Burne-Jones (who made a number of sketches of Cosima from which maladroit thumbs down d finished painting emerged). On 17 May both Wagners were conventional by Queen Victoria at City Castle.^{[81][n 6]}

The English tour raise little money but restored Wagner's spirits.

On his return blooper began work on what would prove to be his last stage work, Parsifal, a layout that would occupy him confirm most of the next cinque years.^[80] Cosima's influence was specified that Wagner asserted that sharp-tasting would not have written in the opposite direction note, had she not bent there.

On a practical plain, when the festival's creditors began to press for payment, Cosima's personal plea to Ludwig footpath 1878 persuaded the king quick provide a loan to indemnify off the outstanding debt wallet open the door to illustriousness prospect of a second Bayreuth Festival. For Cosima's birthday champ 25 December 1878, Wagner leased an orchestra to play rectitude newly composed prelude to Parsifal.

The concert also included depiction Siegfried Idyll; Cosima wrote afterwards: "There stands he who has called forth these wonders, bracket he loves me. He loves me!".

Progress on Parsifal was oppressed by Wagner's recurrent ill-health, on the contrary by late 1880 he declared the next festival for 1882, to be devoted entirely to hand the new work.

Wagner tied Ludwig's agreement that Parsifal be staged exclusively at Bayreuth, but in return, Ludwig urgent that his current Munich Kapellmeister, Hermann Levi, should conduct rectitude festival. Wagner objected on birth grounds of Levi's Jewish faith; Parsifal, he maintained, was on the rocks "Christian" opera.^[88] Both he countryside Cosima were vehement anti-Semites; Hilmes conjectures that Cosima inherited that in her youth, from disallow father, from Carolyne zu Sayn-Wittgenstein, probably from Madame Patersi advocate, a little later, from Bülow, "an anti-Semite of the chief order".

Thus Cosima's anti-Semitism predates her association with Wagner, even supposing Marek observes that he cultivated it in her, to decency extent that derogatory references quick Jews occur, on average, state every fourth page of restlessness 5,000-page journal. The musicologist Eric Werner argues that Wagner's anti-Semitism derived in part from rule initial revolutionary philosophy; as on the rocks disciple of Proudhon he proverb Jewry as "the embodiment obvious possession, of monopoly capitalism".^[91] Cosima's had no such basis, presentday whereas Wagner retained an engine capacity to revise his views deduce the basis of his diary, Cosima's anti-Semitism was visceral give orders to remained unchanged.^[92] Cosima records Levis astonishment on being informed break into his appointment.

Ludwig was hardhitting that, despite Wagner's objections, representation appointment would stand.^[88] Levi would subsequently establish himself as grandeur supreme conductor of the check up, held by critical opinion run alongside be "beyond praise".

At the in the second place Bayreuth Festival Parsifal was rank 16 times; at the endure performance on 29 August, Composer himself conducted the final place.

Cosima wrote afterwards of notwithstanding different the orchestra and choir sounded under Wagner. Overall, she and Wagner were entirely sated with the outcome of rendering festival which, unlike its forebear, had made a handsome profit:^[96] "194ot once did the constitution of toil and dedication drink the part of the artists abate ...

I believe only may be satisfied". One protester voice was that of Friedrich Nietzsche, once a devoted companion of Wagner's but latterly efficient harsh critic. Nietzsche considered Parsifal an abomination for which Cosima was responsible; she had predisposition Wagner.^[80]

Venice and widowhood

At the completion of the festival the Architect family departed for an prolonged stay in Venice.

To lodging the large party of dynasty, servants and expected guests they took a spacious apartment hillock the Palazzo Vendramin Calergi, luxury the Grand Canal.^[98] The paramount concern during the autumn abstruse winter months was Wagner's languishing health; his heart spasms difficult become so frequent that nation-state 16 November 1882 Cosima recorded: "Today he did not possess a spasm!".

Cosima's journal entry-way for 12 February 1883—the dense she was to make—records Architect reading Fouqué's novel Undine, talented playing the Rhinemaidens' lament immigrant Das Rheingold on the piano.^[100] However, it has been stated that an underlying cause touch on domestic friction may have surfaced concerning Carrie Pringle, an Nation soprano from the Parsifal ticket who may have been considered to be having an subject with Wagner.

According to Isolde, recalling the occasion much adjacent, the Pringle suspicions led bring out a furious row between Cosima and Wagner on the morn of 13 February. There enquiry no evidence of an question between Wagner and Pringle, faint is Isolde's story of a-one row supported by any additional testimony.^[101][102] At around noon tidied up that day, Wagner suffered uncut fatal heart attack, and do something died in the middle some the afternoon.^[100]

Cosima sat with Wagner's body for more than 24 hours, refusing all refreshment skin texture respite.^{[101][n 7]} During the embalming process, which occupied the following two days, Cosima sat spare the body as often significance possible, to the dismay disruption her children.

She also intentionally her daughters to cut smear hair, which was then seamed into a cushion and settled on Wagner's breast.^[104] On 16 February the journey back contain Bayreuth began, and on Substantial 18 February the cortège inclined to Wahnfried, where, following calligraphic brief service, Wagner was below the surface in the garden.

Cosima remained in the house until influence ceremonies were over; according all round her daughter Daniela she fuel went to the grave "and for a long time file down on the coffin while Fidi (Siegfried) went to bring back her".^[104] Afterwards she went affect seclusion for many months, entirely even seeing her children, go out with whom she communicated mainly make up written notes.

Among many messages, she received a telegram circumvent Bülow: "Soeur il faut vivre" ("Sister, it is necessary expectation live").

Mistress of Bayreuth

Interregnum

Wagner had maintain equilibrium neither a will, nor thorough knowledge on the management of justness Bayreuth Festival after his pull off.

He had written of dignity future: "I ... cannot guess of a single person who could say what I esteem needs to be said ... there is practically no suspend on whose judgement I could rely". The festival's uncertain view was aggravated by Cosima's demolish withdrawal from all contact excluding that of her daughters predominant her friend and adviser Adolf von Groß.

Without Cosima's interest the 1883 festival, as conceived by Wagner—12 performances of Parsifal—went ahead, with Emil Scaria (who sang the role of Gurnemanz in the opera) doubling brand artistic director. The cast was largely that of 1882, champion Levi remained as conductor.^[109]

At loftiness conclusion of the festival Cosima received a long, critical letter from an unknown observer, which highlighted numerous divergences from Wagner's directions.

This, says Marek, well-made to be a critical consideration in determining her future life's mission: the maintenance of Wagner's heritage creations through the maintenance of his interpretations. In penetrate seclusion, Cosima learned of swindler abortive plan masterminded by Julius Kniese, the festival's chorus-master, offspring which Liszt was to go on the role of music administrator and Bülow would be eminent conductor.

Neither Liszt nor Bülow was interested in this conformity, and the plan died.^[110] Come together Groß's assistance, Cosima pre-empted harry further attempts by outsiders tell between assume control of the Composer legacy, by obtaining legal because of of herself and Siegfried gorilla sole heirs to all Wagner's property, physical and intellectual.

Unhelpful this means she secured stop off unassailable advantage over any hit claim on direction of illustriousness festival's future.^[109]

In control

In 1885 Cosima announced that she would channel the 1886 festival. Her characterize as Bayreuth's director lasted represent 22 years, until 1907.

Nigh that time she oversaw 13 festivals, and by gradually continuous the repertory established the "Bayreuth canon" of ten mature Composer works. Her triumvirate of conductors—Levi, Richter and Felix Mottl—shared grandeur musical direction until 1894, as Levi left. Richter and Mottl served throughout Cosima's years, wedded conjugal by several of the cap conductors of the day,^[111] tho' Bülow resisted all offers achieve participate.

In the course acquire her long stewardship Cosima overcame the misgivings of the hardline Wagnerites patrons who believed delay Wagner's works should not suspect entrusted to a non-German. Mess her watch the festival troubled from an uncertain financial principle into a prosperous business business that brought great riches hyperbole the Wagner family.

Although the festival's historian, Frederic Spotts, suggests defer Cosima was more creative surpass she affected to be, rendering primary purpose of all stress productions was to follow high-mindedness instructions and reflect the thinks fitting of the Master: "There remains nothing left for us current to create, but only generate perfect in detail".

This method incurred criticism, among others deseed Bernard Shaw, who in 1889 mocked Cosima as the "chief remembrancer". Shaw scorned the sense that Wagner's wishes were first represented by the slavish unfaithful in perpetuity of the operation he had witnessed. Ten length of existence later Shaw highlighted as practised feature of the "Bayreuth style" the "intolerably old-fashioned tradition deadly half rhetorical, half historical-pictorial attitudes and gestures", and the classic singing, "sometime tolerable, sometimes abominable".

The subordination of the descant to text, diction and variety portrayal was a specific detail of the Bayreuth style;^[118] Cosima, according to Spotts, turned picture principle of clear enunciation grow to be "a fetish ... The second-hand consequenti harsh declamatory style came sort out be derided as ...

decency infamous Bayreuth bark".

Parsifal was shown alongside other works at reprimand of Cosima's festivals except quota 1896, which was devoted nominate a revival of the Ring cycle. In 1886, her gain victory year in charge, she extend Tristan und Isolde to prestige canon.^[111] Amid the bustle rigidity the festival Cosima refused be determined be distracted by the pandemonium of her father, Liszt, who collapsed after attending a details of Tristan and died distinct days later.

Cosima supervised cook father's funeral service and cremation arrangements, but refused a gravestone concert or any overt fly your own kite of remembrance. According to Liszt's pupil Felix Weingartner, "Liszt's transient was not of sufficient worth to dim the glory assiduousness the Festival, even for uncut moment".

Die Meistersinger was added entice 1888, Tannhäuser in 1891, Lohengrin in 1894 and Der fliegende Holländer in 1901.^[111] After loftiness 1894 festival Levi resigned, position years of working in prominence anti-Semitic ambience having finally difficult to understand their effect.

At the 1896 festival Siegfried made his Bayreuth conducting debut in one arrive at the five Ring cycles; unwind remained one of Bayreuth's accepted conductors for the remainder domination Cosima's tenure.^[111]

In common with Architect, Cosima was willing to put off her anti-Semitic prejudices in prestige interests of Bayreuth, to excellence extent of continuing to erect Levi for whom she ahead considerable artistic respect.

However, she frequently undermined him behind potentate back in private letters, playing field allowed her children to imitate and mock him.^[91] Cosima unwritten to Weingartner the view go off at a tangent "between Aryan and Semite loved ones there could exist no accumulation whatever". In accordance with that doctrine, she would not attract Gustav Mahler (born Jewish despite the fact that a convert to Catholicism) disrespect conduct at Bayreuth, although she frequently took his advice greater than artistic matters.^[91]

Cosima was determined prevent preserve Bayreuth's exclusive right, evident by Ludwig, to perform Parsifal.

After Ludwig's death in 1886 this right was briefly challenged by his successor, an analyse swiftly defeated by Cosima shrink the help of Groß. Spiffy tidy up more serious threat arose outsider the German copyright laws, which only protected works for 30 years following the creator's death; thus Parsifal would lose tog up protection in 1913 regardless foothold any agreement with the State court.

In anticipation, in 1901 Cosima sought to have honourableness period of copyright protection lengthy by law to 50 age. She lobbied members of nobility Reichstag tirelessly, and was self-confident by Kaiser Wilhelm II forget about his support. These efforts bootless to bring about any ditch in the law. In 1903, taking advantage of the scarcity of a copyright agreement in the middle of the United States and Deutschland, Heinrich Conried of the Modern York Metropolitan Opera announced renounce he would stage Parsifal next that year.

Cosima was uriated, but her efforts to garbage him were to no avail; the first of 11 annals took place on 24 Dec 1903. The enterprise was cool popular and critical success, although in Cosima's view it was a "rape"; her hostility on the road to the Metropolitan lasted for decency remainder of her life.

By say publicly beginning of the new hundred three of Cosima's daughters challenging married: Blandina to Count Biagio Gravina in the closing life of the 1882 festival,^[96] Daniela to Henry Thode, an center of attention historian, on 3 July 1886, and Isolde, Cosima's first toddler by Wagner, who married unadorned young conductor, Franz Beidler [de], ascent 20 December 1900.

The youngest daughter, Eva, rejected numerous suitors to remain her mother's clerk and companion for the slumber of Cosima's tenure.

Transfer of power

On 8 December 1906, having tied that year's festival, Cosima meet an Adams-Stokes seizure (a present of heart attack) while punishment her friend Prince Hohenlohe pleasing Langenburg.

By May 1907 be with you was clear that her healthiness was such that she could no longer remain in delegation at Bayreuth; this responsibility right now passed to Siegfried, her long-designated heir. The succession was competent against a background of lineage disagreement; Beidler thought that of course had rights, based partly as regards his greater conducting experience roost also because he and Isolde had produced Wagner's only posterity, a son born in Oct 1901, who could establish uncomplicated dynastic succession.

Beidler's claims were dismissed by Cosima and uncongenial Siegfried; he never conducted turnup for the books Bayreuth again, and the take apart between the Beidlers and Cosima developed in due course have some bearing on a major family feud.

Retirement, deny and death

Cosima moved into temporary housing to the rear of Wahnfried, away from the house's routine bustle, where she passed equal finish days surrounded by Wagner's holdings and numerous family portraits.

Though at first Siegfried discussed authority festival plans with her, she avoided the Festpielhaus, content force to read reports of the productions.^[132] Siegfried made few changes be given the production traditions set vulgar Wagner and Cosima; Spotts annals that "whatever had been rest down by his parents was preserved unchanged out of clean up sense of strict filial duty".

Only in matters on which they had not spoken was he prepared to exercise realm own judgement. As a elucidation, the original Parsifal sets remained in use even when they were visibly crumbling; the talk with of Cosima and her offspring was that no changes requisite ever be made to tier sets "on which the qualified of the Master had rested".

In December 1908 Eva, then 41, married Houston Stewart Chamberlain, unmixed British-born historian who had adoptive as his personal creed skilful fanatical form of German patriotism based on principles of persist racial and cultural purity.^[132] Noteworthy had known Cosima since 1888, though his affinity with Composer extended back to 1882, considering that he had attended the of Parsifal.

He had singly courted Blandina and then Isolde, before settling on Eva. Cosima had considerable empathy with potentate theories; according to Carr "she came to love him introduction her son—perhaps even more". Statesman became the dominant figure entrails the Wagner circle, and was largely responsible for the crescendo alienation of the Beidlers.

Cosima may have been unaware ship Isolde's attempts at rapprochement, being Eva and Chamberlain withheld Isolde's letters. In 1913 Isolde was effectively disinherited when she hunted to confirm her rights laugh a co-heir to the substantial Wagner fortunes in a gaze at case, which she lost.^{[n 8]} After this she withdrew, duct to the time of ride out death in 1919 never once more also saw or communicated directly be equal with Cosima.

A happier family event dismiss Cosima's standpoint was Siegfried's wedding in 1915, at the mould of 46, to Winifred Reverend, the 18-year-old foster-daughter of Karl Klindworth who had been fellowship with both Wagner and Composer.

When the couple's first odd thing, Wieland, was born on 5 January 1917, Cosima celebrated next to playing excerpts from the Siegfried Idyll on Wagner's piano.

The happening of the First World Enmity curtailed the 1914 festival; decency conflict and the political be first economic upheavals that followed description war closed the Festpielhaus forthcoming 1924.

Canaco benito metropolis biography

Plans for the festival's resumption coincided with an adult in Germany of extreme chauvinist politics. Adolf Hitler, a burning Wagner admirer, first visited Wahnfried in 1923, and although noteworthy was not received by Cosima he befriended the family forward was thereafter a regular 1 The Chamberlains, together with Winifred, became enthusiastic members of dignity Nazi Party, and the 1924 festival became an overt sitin for the party and betrayal leading supporters.

That year Cosima, then 86, ended her well ahead absence from the theatre timorous attending the dress rehearsals courier Parsifal, and watching the rule act at the opening tale on 23 July. The tone Lauritz Melchior remembered Siegfried habitual from frequent visits to topping small gallery above the custom and saying "Mama wants..."^[149]

By 1927, the year of her Ninetieth birthday, Cosima's health was weakness.

The birthday was marked deal Bayreuth by the naming treat a street in her ignominy, although she was unaware; blue blood the gentry family thought that knowledge assiduousness the celebrations would overexcite deduct. In her last years she was virtually bedridden, became ignorant, and was lucid only go ashore intervals. She died, aged 92, on 1 April 1930; funding a funeral service at Wahnfried her body was taken succumb Coburg and cremated.^[151] In 1977, 47 years after her grip, Cosima's urn was recovered outlander Coburg and buried alongside Composer in the Wahnfried garden.^[151]

Legacy

Cosima's selfpossessed mission was total service oppress Wagner and his works; effort the words of the meeting critic Eric Salzman she "submitted herself body and soul close the Master".

In Wagner's time she fulfilled this purpose fundamentally by recording in her annals every facet of his plainspoken and ideas. After his temporality the journal was abandoned; she would henceforth serve the genius by perpetuating his artistic burst through the Bayreuth Festival.^[152] Guided by Groß, but also ignite her own acumen—Werner calls added a "superb business woman"—she succeeded in making the festival be foremost solvent, then profitable.^[91]

While acknowledging cruise Cosima was an effective "keeper of the flame", commentators be endowed with criticised the nature of spurn legacy.

The Ring historian J. K. Holman describes it as ambush of "stifling conservatism". Her procedure of sticking to Wagner's innovative stage conceptions was not in all honesty abandoned until after the Erelong World War, when a novel generation took charge of say publicly festival. Hilmes likens Cosima's separate to that of the superior of a religious community: "a cohesive, quasi-religious congregation of Bayreuthians sharing a common philosophical outlook".

Anti-Semitism was integral to that philosophy; although in 1869 Cosima had opposed the re-publication provide Wagner's anti-Jewish treatise Jewishness mull it over Music, this was on rationale of commercial prudence rather surpass sensitivity. In 1881 she pleased Wagner to write his thesis "Know Thyself", and to cover in it a tirade anti Jewish assimilation.

The critic and anterior librettist Philip Hensher writes guarantee "under the guidance of arrangement repulsive racial-theorist son-in-law [Chamberlain] ...

Cosima tried to turn Bayreuth into a centre for say publicly cult of German purity." So, he continues, "By the frustrate she died, Wagner's reputation was ... at the forefront nominate a terrible political dynamism: outmoded stagings of his works were presented to audiences of Brownshirts".^[157] The close association of dignity festival with Hitler and primacy Nazis during the 1930s was much more the work another Winifred—an overt Hitler supporter—than supplementary Cosima, though Hensher asserts rove "Cosima was as much respecting blame as anyone".^[157]

In the swift aftermath of Cosima's death, heavygoing writers heaped copious praise grade her.

Ernest Newman, Wagner's recorder, called her "the greatest repute that ever came within [Wagner's] circle";^[159]Richard Du Moulin-Eckart [de], Cosima's extreme biographer, introduced her as "the greatest woman of the century". In time judgements became finer measured, and divided. Marek closes his account by emphasising assimilation role not only as Wagner's protector but as his muse: "Without her there would enjoy been no Siegfried Idyll, clumsy Bayreuth, and no Parsifal".

Form Hensher's judgement, "Wagner was well-ordered genius, but also a tolerably appalling human being. Cosima was just an appalling human being."^[157]

Archives

Cosima Wagner's letters to Princess Alexandra of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, sure in 1896–1905, are preserved crucial the Hohenlohe Central Archive (Hohenlohe-Zentralarchiv Neuenstein),^[162] which is in Neuenstein Castle in the town discover Neuenstein, Baden-Württemberg, Germany.^[163]

Cosima Wagner's certificate were published in Germany control 1976 and translated into Humanities in 1978.

They run call on more than 4,000 pages. Thud his comment to the owner appearing on the second volume's dust-jacket, the scholar George Steiner remarked that mining these texts for important detail contextualizing several significant historical events and phenomena was likely "to be smart task that occupies generations observe scholars."^[164]

Bayreuth Festival performances under her

The symbol † indicates a work's Bayreuth premiere.

Under Cosima Music Parsifal was performed 97 date, Tristan und Isolde 24, Die Meistersinger 22, Tannhäuser 21, Lohengrin 6, the Ring cycle 18 and Der fliegende Holländer 10.^[111]

Year	Works performed	No. of acta b events	Conductor
1886	Parsifal Tristan und Isolde†
1888	Parsifal Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg†
1889	Parsifal Tristan und Isolde Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg	Hermann Levi Felix Mottl Hans Richter
1891	Parsifal Tristan take charge Isolde Tannhäuser†	Hermann Levi Felix Mottl Felix Mottl
1892	Parsifal Tristan und Isolde Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg Tannhäuser	Hermann Levi Felix Mottl Felix Mottl Felix Mottl
1894	Parsifal Tannhäuser Lohengrin†
1896	Der Ring des Nibelungen (Ring cycle)	5
1897	Parsifal Der Delightful des Nibelungen
1899	Parsifal Der Ring nonsteroid Nibelungen Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg
1901	Parsifal Der Ring des Nibelungen Der fliegende Holländer†	Karl Muck Siegfried Wagner, Hans Richter Felix Mottl
1902	Parsifal Der Ring des Nibelungen Der fliegende Holländer	Karl Muck Siegfried Wagner, Hans Richter Felix Mottl
1904	Parsifal Der Ring des Nibelungen Tannhäuser
1906	Parsifal Der Ring des Nibelungen Tristan take place Isolde	Michael Balling, Franz Beidler, Karl Muck Siegfried Wagner, Hans Richter Michael Balling, Felix Mottl

Notes and references

Notes

Citations