Dear Mayer!
Please
request Herr von Seyfried to conduct my opera today. I want to
see and hear it myself today at a distance. At all events my patience
will not then be so severely tried as it would be if I were near
the orchestra and had to listen to the murdering of my music!
- I cannot but think that this is being done on purpose. I shall
not say anything about the wind-instruments but - that all the
pianissimos and crescendos, all the decrescendos and all fortes
and fortissimos should have been deleted from my opera! In any
case they are not all observed. All desire to compose anything
more ceases completely if I have to hear my work performed like
that! -
Tomorrow
or the day after I shall fetch you for dinner. Today I am rather
ill again. Your friend
Beethoven
PS.
If the opera is to be performed the day after tomorrow, then we
must have another rehearsal in the room tomorrow - If not, things
will be worse every day!