Letter writer Wagner
The wealth of Richard Wagner's letters has been compiled in a newly conceived complete edition since 1999. Just over half of the 34 volumes are now available.
Although a complete edition of Wagner's letters in chronological order has always been considered indispensable, its realization only began in 1967 under the patronage of the Richard Wagner Family Archive (later the Richard Wagner Foundation). Werner Breig's fundamental new conception of Richard Wagner's complete letters began in November 1999 with the publication of Volume 11. The carefully annotated volumes are illustrated with facsimiles and little-known photographs. The first publication of several letters further enhances the content of the edition. The commentary is based on many previously unpublished documents.
So far, the letters up to 1867 (volumes 1-19) have been published. Most recently, volume 22: Letters of the year 1870, edited by Martin Dürrer, with the letters on the premiere of the ValkyrieThe first letters on the Franco-Prussian War, with the first letters on festival plans in Bayreuth and 50 first publications. Volume 21: Letters from 1869 is currently in preparation and is expected to be published in summer 2013. The volume is edited by Andreas Mielke and contains letters on the premiere of Rheingold and to the Paris Rienzi-staging, to the extended new version of the script Judaism in music and 44 first publications. This is followed by volume 20 of the Wagner letter editions.
Image: Print of the letter from Richard Wagner to Anton Pusinelli dated March 21, 1864, taken from Volume 16: Letters of the Year 1864, p. 67.
Richard Wagner: Complete Letters, Complete Edition in 34 Volumes and Supplements, Breitkopf & Härtel
