Editing Das Rheingold (section)

===Premiere, Munich, 22 September 1869===
Long before ''Das Rheingold'' was ready for performance, Wagner conducted excerpts of the music from scenes 1, 2 and 4, at a concert in Vienna on 26 December 1862.{{sfn|Millington et al 2002}} The work remained unstaged, but by 1869 Wagner's principal financial sponsor, [[Ludwig II of Bavaria|King Ludwig of Bavaria]], was pressing for an early performance in [[Munich]]. Wagner wanted to wait until the cycle was completed, when he would stage the work himself; also, his return to Munich would likely have precipitated a scandal, in view of his, at the time, affair with the married [[Cosima Wagner|Cosima von Bülow]].{{sfn|Gutman|1971|p=428}}{{refn|Wagner and Cosima were not married until 25 August 1870, although they were cohabiting in Switzerland.{{sfn|Holman|2001|p=35}} |group= n}} Wagner was horrified at the idea of his work being presented in accordance with Ludwig's eccentric tastes.{{sfn|Spotts|1994|p=39}} However, Ludwig, who possessed the copyright, was insistent that ''Rheingold'' be produced at the [[Bavarian State Opera|Munich Hofoper]] without further delay.{{sfn|Hilmes|2011|p=114}} Wagner did all he could to sabotage this production, fixed for August 1869, and persuaded the appointed conductor, [[Hans Richter (conductor)|Hans Richter]] to stand down after a troublesome dress rehearsal. Ludwig was unmoved; he denounced Wagner, sacked Richter, appointed another conductor, [[Franz Wüllner]], and rescheduled the premiere for 22 September. Wagner was refused admission to the rehearsals at the theatre, and returned, angry and defeated, to his home in [[Tribschen]].{{sfn|Gutman|1971|pp=428–431}}

Accounts differ as to the success or otherwise of the Munich premiere. Osborne maintains that the performance was successful,{{sfn|Osborne|1992|pp=183, 188}} as does Holman,{{sfn|Holman|2001|p=38}}{{refn|Holman wrongly dates the ''Rheingold'' Munich premiere to June 1870.{{sfn|Holman|2001|p=38}} |group= n}} while Oliver Hilmes in his biography of Cosima describes it as "an artistic disaster".{{sfn|Hilmes|2011|p=114}} Cosima's diary entries for 24 and 27 September note that the performance was portrayed in the Munich press as a [[wikt:succès d'estime|''succès d'estime'']], or otherwise as "a lavishly decorated, boring work".{{sfn|Skelton|1994|p=40}} Gutman maintains that much of the adverse comment on the Munich premiere derives from later Bayreuth propaganda, and concludes that, "in many ways, these Munich performances surpassed the level of the first Bayreuth festival".{{sfn|Gutman|1971|pp=428–431}} As to the public's reaction, the audience's main interest was in the novel scenery and stage effects; Wagner's new approach to composition largely passed them by.{{sfn|Heldt|2006|p=156}}