Wed 16. [16 August 1899] At 8.10 came a message from the Grand
Duke telling us to be at the theatre by 9. We all bustled up and hurried
off. Stuffy rainy morning. Found the Grand Duke waiting, a cheerful
young man with a party, among whom were Mr Hart Davies and
another Englishman. We went all over, down to the depths,
descended through a trap door, rang the Parsifal bells, made
Walhalla desend [sic] with all the .... on it, walked about the orchestra,
turned on the lights, inspected the properties and the dressing rooms
and generally had a very good time. We lunched at Riebenstahl and
were caught in a furious thunderstorm on our way home. It hailed like
anything. Siegfried was not very good, except the orchestra which
was very fine. Schedes was good in the II act but insufficient in the
IIIrd, so was Gulbransen. Mime awfully good, but the 1st act is long.
Came home and read all the papers. The Figaro most interesting
about Labori - he seems very bad. It's a terrible tale. [Cast list for
Siegfried attached to page.]