Bruno Walter

Januar 1938 aus dem Wiener Musikverein gilt als eine Sternstunde. Bruno Walter erhielt 1894 eine Anstellung als Assistent von Gustav Mahler an der Hamburger Oper. Mahler wurde sein künstlerisch prägendes Vorbild; Walter betrachtete sich fortan als seinen Schüler. 1939 emigrierte die Familie Walter in die USA und ließ sich in Kalifornien nieder. 1940 war er Gastdirigent beim NBC (National Broadcasting Company) Symphony Orchestra, 1941 bis 1945 Dirigent am Metropolitan Opera House in New York (New York), wo er auch 1950 bis 1951 und 1956 bis 1957 wirkte. 1947 bis 1949 war Walter Director des New York Philharmonic Orchestra..

- Viktor Maiwald hatte 1927 die Konzertvereinigung Wiener Staatsopernchor gegründet, die am 5. Jänner 1947 ihr 20jähriges Bestehen mit einem Festkonzert begehen sollte, bei dem Richard Strauss' Chorwerk "An den Baum Daphne", das er eigens für die Vereinigung geschrieben hatte, zur Uraufführung kam. - Auf Briefpapier mit gepr. Briefkopf des Grand Hotel Stockholm und zweifachen Zensurstempel..

By this Satanic passion should be influenced your picture of the end of A, the gloom of D, the freezing nudity of E and by this passion should be entirely dominated the gambling-hall G. You speak of the tragic isolation of the gambling table. This should have been provided for by the librettist; but he has not done it and the music does not permit any such isolation. The whole scene is one undivided nightmare [...]" (Beverly Hills, 3. VI. 1941). - "[...] Just two lines in addition to my letter of yesterday: please do not hesitate to oppose frankly to whatever in my remarks you do not find justified. I myself think f. i. that in A the additional promenading path could be thought just as well [...] behind the iron gate. Further: the door in B for entrance and exit of the countess seems to me desirable, but not indispensable [...]" (Beverly Hills, 4. VI. 1941). - Mit Dank für Glückwünsche: "[...] You will agree that the difference or even contrast between giving and taking becomes less discernible the more we advance on our worldly pilgrimage. You yourself in your art - I am sure - live and thrive on the strength and wealth gathered by giving your effort and yourself. Take - this is primitive and, in its extreme, Nazi-mentality; in its naive sense it is what Papageno feels. Thank you once more for your friendly thought connecting me and my modest efforts with the sphere of Sarastro to which also you belong [...]" (New York, 10. X. 1943). - "[...] I, too, think back with great satisfaction to our collaboration on the Magic Flute. I also cherish the lasting impressions of your very important work on Wagner's Nibelungen [...]" (New York, 17. III. 1951)..