In the evening Max and I took a car and went to the People's House to hear The Queen of Spades. I found the new hall in the People's House very impressive in its spaciousness, its large capacity and airy feeling. Beside it our Conservatoire theatre is a poor relation. I had been greatly looking forward to Pique Dame. The opening scene did not quite live up to expectations, but beginning from the second right through to the final scene I enjoyed it thoroughly. The last scene is inept, and ruins the overall impression. It should start with the appearance of Herman: everything that precedes this should be discarded as detracting from the drama. 'What is our life? A game!' sounds strange and is superfluous, as is the final page of the opera. It is a matter of regret that the music accompanying the first meeting between Herman and the Countess does so little to reflect and enhance it. Altogether the opera has much that is long-drawn-out and superfluous, not just from the dramatic but also from the musical point of view. Even so, the scene in the Countess's room is pure genius from first note to last, and it is not the only one.