In this year, 1874, everything must be sufficiently prepared that next summer 1875 we can rehearse with the chosen cast (which must have been musically thoroughly prepared over the winter) on stage in the sets. The orchestra too must be complete and be able to be called for rehearsals such as read-throughs, correction of parts rehearsals, and with the singers [Sitzproben]. From these rehearsals it will become clear who is not up to his or her task – player or singer – so that we can make the necessary replacements. Only by being prepared in this way can we be sure that we'll need two months at the most in the year of performance to stage the gigantic work in worthy fashion, for we'll only have two weeks for each part and, reckoning on delays through illness etc., these rehearsals must bear all the hallmarks of dress rehearsals with necessary rest-periods between them.

This is my plan. Who will help me to carry it out however? Can you, from May on at the latest, place yourself at my disposal for three months? That's the question. You would have to do the following: