Three weeks later I met impresario and conductor together at Bayreuth on the day that they  were to take their departure. Both were full of the wonders they had seen and heard. The  works given that year were “Parsifal”, “Tristan”, and “Die Meistersinger” — the Nuremberg opera  for the first time at Bayreuth. I asked Harris  which of the three he had decided to do at Covent  Garden next season.  

“Parsifal”, was his unblushing reply; “that is,  if Frau Cosima will oblige me with the necessary  permission. But I am afraid she won't. Seriously, though, I should like to do the “Meistersinger”, even if I have to give it in Italian and  get the text specially translated. If only Jean  de Reszke would sing Walther! See poor old  Gudehus in the part here, and then imagine for yourself what a perfect Walther Jean would make!”