162. Wagner, Richard. Autograph letter signed, 2 pages (7.25 x 5 in.; 184 x 127 mm.), Lucern, 3 June 1869, to Horneman and Ersloe, Kopenhagen; marginal splitting along vertical fold, with original transmittal envelope with red wax seal, the envelope affixed to the integral blank of the letter. Accompanied by a fine cabinet photograph of Wagner by Franz Hanfstaengl of Munich.

In a letter referring to the Royal Court Theatre in Kopenhagen producing his Lohengrin, Wagner makes clear how highly he views the value of his work.

The composer writes in full: To Horneman and Ersloe, Kopenhagen: Please be so kind as to tell the Royal Court Theatre management that I will be very grateful for the honorarium of 1000 Francs for the right to perform my Lohengrin. It’s up to them to deduct the costs of the music dealer’s copy of the score which as far as I Know will be accounted for by Breitkopf and Hartel to the theatres at 15 Thalers net. As I am in general dependent in this whole affair solely on the decency of the Royal Directors, between you and me do not like remarks about the “usual expenses” for French operas with vocal parts, here it means merely that the Royal Directors will pay me the price for my Lohengrin or they won’t. I have no intention to bargain about it because my works are not commodities. Richard Wagner
Lucerne, 3, June 1869.

In a postscript Wagner writes: My last remark refers to your mentioning the price for Gounod’s Faust which, as everybody knows, is of no significance to me.———

The “Royal Directors” obviously agreed to Wagner’s terms as Lohengrin was produced for the first time in Copenhagen on 30 April 1870. It was first presented in Weimar in 1850 and it received its American premiere in 1871.
$6,000 - $8,000