Editing Cosima Wagner (section)

==== Building the ''Festspielhaus'' ====

Wagner's deception over his relationship with Cosima had seriously damaged his standing with Ludwig. Matters were worsened by Ludwig's insistence, over Wagner's objections, that the premieres of the two completed ''[[Der Ring des Nibelungen|Ring]]'' operas, ''[[Das Rheingold]]'' and ''[[Die Walküre]]'', be given at once, in Munich, rather than as part of a complete ''Ring'' cycle on some future date at a venue of Wagner's choosing.{{sfn|Spotts|p=39}} To Wagner's mortification these premieres took place, under [[Franz Wüllner]], on 22 September 1869 and 26 June 1870 respectively.{{sfn|Osborne|pp=182–183}} The need for a theatre of his own, and full artistic control, was now clear to Wagner. On 5 March 1870 Cosima, according to her journal, advised him to "look up the article on Baireuth {{sic}} in the encyclopaedia".{{sfn|Skelton (ed.)|p=52}} Wagner knew the town from a short visit he had made there in 1835;{{sfn|Gutman|p=89}} he was attracted to it by its central location and by its quiet non-fashionability.{{sfn|Marek|p=142}} When he and Cosima visited in April 1871 they decided immediately that they would build their theatre there, and that the town would be their future home.<ref name= S40>{{harvnb|Spotts|p=40}}</ref>
[[File:BayreuthFestspielhaus19C.jpg|thumb|left|The [[Bayreuth Festspielhaus]], as it appeared in the late 19th century]]
Wagner announced the first Bayreuth Festival for 1873, at which his full ''Ring'' cycle would be performed.<ref name=S40 /> Aware of the honour that such an event would bring to the town, the local council donated a large plot of land—the "Green Hill"—overlooking the town, as a site for the theatre. Since Ludwig had declined to finance the project, the start of building was delayed and the proposed date for the initial festival was deferred. By the spring of 1873 only a third of the required funds had been raised; further pleas to Ludwig were initially ignored, but early in 1874, with the entire project on the verge of collapse, the king relented and provided a loan.{{sfn|Spotts|pp=45–46}} The full building programme included a handsome villa, "Wahnfried", into which Wagner, with Cosima and the children, moved from their temporary accommodation on 18 April 1874.{{sfn|Marek|p=156}} The theatre was completed in 1875, and the festival scheduled for the following year. Commenting on the struggle to finish the building Wagner remarked to Cosima: "Each stone is red with my blood and yours".<ref>Quoted in {{harvnb|Spotts|p=54}}</ref>

During this period Cosima admitted to Liszt, who had taken [[minor orders]] in the Catholic Church, that she intended to convert to Protestantism. Her motive may have been more the desire to maintain solidarity with Wagner than from religious conviction; Hilmes maintains that at heart, "Cosima remained a pietistic Catholic until her dying day".<ref name=H123 /> On 31 October 1872 Cosima received her first Protestant sacrament alongside Wagner: "a deeply moving occasion ... what a lovely thing religion is! What other power could produce such feelings!"{{sfn|Skelton (ed.)|p=154}}