Note 30 — SECOND PERIOD. From 1800 To October, 1813.

Refer to Breuning's letter to Dr. and Mad. Wegeler. Supplement No. II., Vol. II.

The circumstance which occurred at the house of Prince Lichnowsky, on occasion of the alteration made in this Opera in 1807, which M. Röckel,{*} then engaged as tenor singer at the Theater an der Wien (with whom I am myself well acquainted), afterwards related to M. Ries in London, and which the latter communicates in his "Notizen über Beethoven," (p. 105), is interesting and authentic. Not less worthy of notice is Breuning's letter of the 20th of June, 1806, to Dr. Wegeler (p. 62) on the fortunes of the opera of "Fidelio" at its first representation. Count Moritz Lichnowsky was one of the company, in which Beethoven opposed with might and main the omission of a single bar, and gave all present a great deal of trouble.

{*} The following note from Wegeler's Notizen is, I think, not misplaced here:—

"Dear Röckel,—Try and do your best with Milder" [Ma dame Milder, for whom the part of Fidelio was written—ED.], "and pray tell her you ask her to-day in my name, that this early invitation may prevent her singing anywhere else. To-morrow I mean to come myself 'to kiss the hem of her garment.' Do not forget Marconi" [a celebrated Contra-Alto of the time.—ED.], "and, above all, do not be angry with me for thus overburthening you.

"Ever yours, "BEETHOVEN."