Editing Gustav Mahler (section)

====Prague and Leipzig====
[[File:Leipzig GustavMahler Wohnhaus.jpg|thumb|alt= Light-coloured two-storey stone building with an ornamental ledge below the roof. There are rows of five windows at ground level and the floor above, with a balcony at the middle upper window.|Mahler's home in [[Leipzig]], where he composed his [[Symphony No. 1 (Mahler)|First Symphony]]]]
In Prague, the emergence of the [[Czech National Revival]] had increased the popularity and importance of the new [[National Theatre (Prague)|Czech National Theatre]], and had led to a downturn in the {{lang|de|Neues Deutsches Theater}}'s fortunes. Mahler's task was to help arrest this decline by offering high-quality productions of [[Opera in German|German opera]].<ref name=Franklin4>Franklin, (4. Prague 1885–86 and Leipzig 1886–88).</ref> He enjoyed early success presenting works by Mozart and Wagner, composers with whom he would be particularly associated for the rest of his career,<ref name=Sadie507 /> but his individualistic and increasingly autocratic conducting style led to friction, and a falling out with his more experienced fellow-conductor, Ludwig Slansky.<ref name=Franklin4 /> During his 12 months in Prague he conducted 68 performances of 14 operas (12 titles were new in his repertory), and he also performed [[Ludwig van Beethoven|Beethoven]]'s [[Symphony No. 9 (Beethoven)|Ninth Symphony]] for the first time in his life. By the end of the season, in July 1886, Mahler left Prague to take up his post at the {{lang|de|Neues Stadttheater}} in Leipzig, where rivalry with his senior colleague [[Arthur Nikisch]] began almost at once. This conflict was primarily over how the two should share conducting duties for the theatre's new production of Wagner's ''[[Der Ring des Nibelungen|Ring]]'' cycle. Nikisch's illness, from February to April 1887, meant that Mahler took charge of the whole cycle (except {{lang|de|Götterdämmerung}}), and scored a resounding public success. This did not, however, win him popularity with the orchestra, who resented his dictatorial manner and heavy rehearsal schedules.<ref name=Franklin4 /><ref>Carr, p. 43</ref>

In Leipzig, Mahler befriended Captain {{ill|Carl Maria von Weber (Hauptmann)|de|lt=Carl von Weber}} (1849–1897), grandson of the composer, and agreed to prepare a performing version of [[Carl Maria von Weber]]'s unfinished opera {{lang|de|[[Die drei Pintos]]}} ("The Three Pintos"). Mahler transcribed and orchestrated the existing musical sketches, used parts of other Weber works, and added some composition of his own.<ref name=Carr44 /> The premiere at the [[Leipzig Opera|Stadttheater]], on 20 January 1888, was an important occasion at which several heads of various German opera houses were present. (The Russian composer [[Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky|Tchaikovsky]] attended the third performance on 29 January.)<ref name=Franklin4 /> The work was well-received; its success did much to raise Mahler's public profile, and brought him financial rewards.<ref name=Carr44>Carr, pp. 44–47</ref> Mahler's involvement with the Weber family was complicated by Mahler's alleged romantic attachment to Carl von Weber's wife Marion Mathilde (1857–1931) which, though intense on both sides – so it was rumoured by for example English composer [[Ethel Smyth]] – ultimately came to nothing. In February and March 1888 Mahler sketched and completed his [[Symphony No. 1 (Mahler)|First Symphony]], then in five movements. At around the same time Mahler discovered the German folk-poem collection {{lang|de|[[Des Knaben Wunderhorn]]}} ("The Youth's Magic Horn"), which would dominate much of his compositional output for the following 12&nbsp;years.<ref name=Franklin4 />{{refn|Mahler may have been aware of this collection earlier, since he had based the first of the {{lang|de|Lieder eines fahrenden Gesellen}} poems on a {{lang|de|Wunderhorn}} text.<ref name="Blaukopf, pp. 61–62">Blaukopf, pp. 61–62</ref>|group=n}}

On 17 May 1888, Mahler suddenly resigned his Leipzig position after a dispute with the {{lang|de|Stadttheater}}'s chief stage manager, [[Albert Goldberg]].<ref>Carr, p. 49</ref> However, Mahler had secretly been invited by Angelo Neumann in Prague (and accepted the offer) to conduct the premiere there of "his" {{lang|de|Die drei Pintos}}, and later also a production of {{lang|de|[[Der Barbier von Bagdad]]}} by [[Peter Cornelius]]. This short stay (July to September) ended unhappily, with Mahler's dismissal following his outburst during a rehearsal. However, through the efforts of an old Viennese friend, [[Guido Adler]], and cellist [[David Popper]], Mahler's name went forward as a potential director of the [[Hungarian State Opera House|Royal Hungarian Opera]] in Budapest. He was interviewed, made a good impression, and was offered and accepted (with some reluctance) the post from 1 October 1888.<ref>Carr, p. 50</ref>