Dear and Beloved Friend!
It was not possible for me to see you this week. I have been very busy, and I have just come out here today in order still to enjoy something of the beauties of the season which is gradually departing, and to ramble through woods which have already lost half their leaves – I would have begun your Romulus long ago, but the Directors refuse to grant me for a work of this kind anything more than the takings for one night. And, although I have so willingly offered, and still offer, many sacrifices to my art, yet by accepting such a condition I should lose far too much – for instance, I am paid 200 gold ducats for an oratorio, ‘Christus am Ölberge’ [Opus 85], which takes up only half an evening or, rather, normally lasts only one hour and nine minutes. – Well, supposing that I were to produce a work of that kind at a concert in Vienna or anywhere else, what additional profit might I not make? – And indeed I am convinced that nay town in Germany or anywhere else would pay me or any other composer in gold at any rate –
I have asked the Theatrical Directors to pay me for Romulus 200 gold ducats and the takings for one night – Now dear Treitschke, see what you can do to persuade them to offer me different and more honourable conditions than that of the takings for only one night. If I were to proceed to work out for you what kind of fees I receive for my other compositions, I assure you that you would not consider the conditions I have just stated and laid down for one opera, to be exaggerated – I beg you, therefore, to have a very friendly talk with the Theatrical Directors. They cannot expect me to be a loser. On the conditions I have made I am willing to compose the opera at once and to have it staged by February or March at latest – You have four days until Thursday when I shall call on you to get your reply. There is nothing I should like better than to be able to compose without demanding any fee. But indeed a German, or, I should say, an Austrian artist will hardly ever reach that eminence – London alone can fatten a man so thoroughly that in Germany or, rather, in Vienna he can afterwards put up with the leanest fare –
Wholly yours
I shall come for your reply on Thursday.
In haste, your friend
Beethoven