King Ludwig II. of Bavaria had declared, while he was still crown prince, that as soon as he became king he would show the world how highly he held the genius of Wagner in honor.  He kept his word.  One of his first acts was to despatch Baron von Pfistenmeister to search for Wagner, and not to return without him.  He was to tell him that the king was his most ardent admirer; that he wanted him to come at once to Munich, to live there in comfort, at the king’s expense, to complete his Nibelung operas, and produce them forthwith.  Was it a wonder that when the Baron had left, Wagner, who was thus suddenly raised from the depth of despair (he had even meditated suicide) to the height of happiness, fell on Weissheimer’s neck, and wept for joy.

Surely the brain of a Dumas could not have conceived a more romantic event than this sudden transformation of one who was a fugitive from debtor’s prison into the favorite of a young and enthusiastic king.  At last Wagner had an opportunity to bring forward his music-dramas.  “Tristan and Isolde” was sung at the Munich Opera on June 10, 1865, with an excellent cast, and Hans von Buelow as conductor.  “Die Meistersinger” followed on June 21,1868.  Both these works were received with enthusiasm by the ever-growing band of Wagner-lovers.  His plan of building a special theatre in Munich for the performance of his Nibelung operas could not be carried out, however, even with the king’s aid; for his great influence with the king (he was rumored to be even his political and religious adviser, though this was not true), aroused so much hostile feeling that Wagner finally decided to have his Nibelung festival at the old secluded town of Bayreuth.

At the suggestion of the eminent pianist, Carl Taussig, Wagner societies were formed in the cities of Europe and America to raise funds for this festival and give Wagner a chance to establish a tradition by showing the world how his operas should be performed.  With the aid of these and liberal contributions by his ever-devoted king, Wagner was able, after many trials, tribulations, and postponements, to bring out, at last, his great Tetralogy, on August 13, 14,16, and 17, of the year 1876.  It was beyond comparison the most interesting and important event in the whole history of music.  Wagner had personally visited the opera-houses throughout the land and selected the best singers.  The audience included the Emperors of Germany and Brazil, King Ludwig, the Grand Dukes of Weimar and Baden, eminent composers like Liszt, Grieg, Saint-Saens, and many other notable persons.  The impression made by the great work was the deeper because of the unusual circumstances:  the theatre specially constructed after Wagner’s novel plan; the amphitheatric seats; the concealed orchestra; the stereoscopic clearness and nearness of the stage scenes, etc.