grimaced, ‘I cannot give you my full cooperation today. Unforeseen circumstances have created a crisis that requires my immediate attention. If the crisis is not resolved, then this evening’s production of Rienzi will have to be cancelled and we are expecting the German ambassador to attend. And if the ambassador is disappointed …’ His sentence trailed off and he produced a nervous little shudder. ‘Would you be willing, inspector, to postpone this interview? Could we meet again – tomorrow morning, perhaps? I would consider myself indebted.’
‘May I inquire as to the nature of this crisis?’ asked Rheinhardt.
The director’s foot began to tap on the floor. An irregular burst of rhythms that he terminated with a single loud stamp.
‘Really, Inspector, the detail need not concern you.’
‘With respect,’ Rheinhardt responded, ‘I would appreciate an explanation.’
‘Very well.’ Mahler glanced up at the wall clock. ‘But I must be brief.’ He pointed towards the door. ‘The unhappy gentleman waiting outside is Erik Schmedes.’
‘We had the pleasure,’ Rheinhardt indicated he was referring to both himself and his companion, ‘of seeing Herr Schmedes sing Tristan earlier this year under your direction. It was an exceptional performance. The love duet was a revelation.’
‘Thank you,’ said Mahler. ‘And Schmedes is a very great tenor. Indeed, I had chosen him to sing the title role in tonight’s new production of Rienzi . Hermann Winkelmann was to sing the role tomorrow night.’ Liebermann noticed that the director had a small defect of speech: he could not roll the letter ‘r’ correctly. ‘As you know, court opera singers attract fanatical devotees, and my choice of Schmedes to sing Rienzi in tonight’s performance angered the Hermann-Bündler – the Winkelmann fans. They said they would demonstrate if their hero was not given the premiere and Schmedes received an unpleasant threatening letter. After much deliberation, Schmedes and I decided that it was probably best to let Winkelmann have the honour of singing the first night. I very much doubt that the threat was genuine, but Schmedes is a sensitive fellow and he was disinclined to take any risks.’
‘What was the nature of the threat?’ Asked Rheinhardt.
‘The author of the letter indicated his intention to follow Schmedes until an opportunity arose to give him a beating.’
‘Why did you not call the police?’
‘Herr Schmedes assumed that he could not expect the police to protect him indefinitely. Was he wrong?’
Rheinhardt shifted uncomfortably.
‘No … he was not wrong.’
Mahler nodded and continued: ‘Winkelmann was to sing Rienzi tonight, Schmedes tomorrow night. Everything was settled. However, about an hour ago I was informed that Winkelmann has been taken ill and that he is now unable to sing. I promptly dispatched several men to search for Schmedes, one of whom found him in a Turkish bath. He was brought here immediately. When I told him what had happened and that consequently he would now be singing in the premiere, he turned pale and started talking a lot of gibberish about having caught a cold on account of leaving the steam room too quickly. He’s not really ill, of course, he’s just frightened that Winkelmann’s followers will carry out their threat if he sings tonight.’
‘But if Winkelmann is indisposed …’ ventured Rheinhardt.
‘Exactly,’ said Mahler. ‘The Hermann-Bündler can no longer argue that Winkelmann has been slighted. The danger has passed. But Schmedes will not see reason and instead insists that he has caught a cold and cannot sing. Now, I hope that is enough explanation for you, inspector. May we conclude our business for today and resume again tomorrow?’
Before Rheinhardt could respond, Liebermann interjected, ‘Herr Director, what are you going to do with Herr Schmedes?’
‘I will urge him, in the strongest possible terms, to reconsider his
‘May I inquire as to the nature of this crisis?’ asked Rheinhardt.
The director’s foot began to tap on the floor. An irregular burst of rhythms that he terminated with a single loud stamp.
‘Really, Inspector, the detail need not concern you.’
‘With respect,’ Rheinhardt responded, ‘I would appreciate an explanation.’
‘Very well.’ Mahler glanced up at the wall clock. ‘But I must be brief.’ He pointed towards the door. ‘The unhappy gentleman waiting outside is Erik Schmedes.’
‘We had the pleasure,’ Rheinhardt indicated he was referring to both himself and his companion, ‘of seeing Herr Schmedes sing Tristan earlier this year under your direction. It was an exceptional performance. The love duet was a revelation.’
‘Thank you,’ said Mahler. ‘And Schmedes is a very great tenor. Indeed, I had chosen him to sing the title role in tonight’s new production of Rienzi . Hermann Winkelmann was to sing the role tomorrow night.’ Liebermann noticed that the director had a small defect of speech: he could not roll the letter ‘r’ correctly. ‘As you know, court opera singers attract fanatical devotees, and my choice of Schmedes to sing Rienzi in tonight’s performance angered the Hermann-Bündler – the Winkelmann fans. They said they would demonstrate if their hero was not given the premiere and Schmedes received an unpleasant threatening letter. After much deliberation, Schmedes and I decided that it was probably best to let Winkelmann have the honour of singing the first night. I very much doubt that the threat was genuine, but Schmedes is a sensitive fellow and he was disinclined to take any risks.’
‘What was the nature of the threat?’ Asked Rheinhardt.
‘The author of the letter indicated his intention to follow Schmedes until an opportunity arose to give him a beating.’
‘Why did you not call the police?’
‘Herr Schmedes assumed that he could not expect the police to protect him indefinitely. Was he wrong?’
Rheinhardt shifted uncomfortably.
‘No … he was not wrong.’
Mahler nodded and continued: ‘Winkelmann was to sing Rienzi tonight, Schmedes tomorrow night. Everything was settled. However, about an hour ago I was informed that Winkelmann has been taken ill and that he is now unable to sing. I promptly dispatched several men to search for Schmedes, one of whom found him in a Turkish bath. He was brought here immediately. When I told him what had happened and that consequently he would now be singing in the premiere, he turned pale and started talking a lot of gibberish about having caught a cold on account of leaving the steam room too quickly. He’s not really ill, of course, he’s just frightened that Winkelmann’s followers will carry out their threat if he sings tonight.’
‘But if Winkelmann is indisposed …’ ventured Rheinhardt.
‘Exactly,’ said Mahler. ‘The Hermann-Bündler can no longer argue that Winkelmann has been slighted. The danger has passed. But Schmedes will not see reason and instead insists that he has caught a cold and cannot sing. Now, I hope that is enough explanation for you, inspector. May we conclude our business for today and resume again tomorrow?’
Before Rheinhardt could respond, Liebermann interjected, ‘Herr Director, what are you going to do with Herr Schmedes?’
‘I will urge him, in the strongest possible terms, to reconsider his
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