A handwritten original score by German composer Richard Wagner has been sold for €23,040 at an auction in Brussels on Friday.
The manuscript, dating from 1845, is Wagner’s transcription of the lead tenor role in his opera “Tannhäuser.” It was auctioned off by Arenberg Auctions and became the subject of intense interest from museums, opera houses, and international collectors before the sale began.
Henri Godts, the auctioneer, described the sale as highly unusual in Belgium. Initially valued at €12,000 to €15,000, the score ultimately fetched nearly double its expected price from the highest bidder.
The manuscript was originally created for celebrated Bohemian tenor Josef Tichatschek, who was to perform the role. After his death, his daughter presented the score to Antwerp-born tenor Ernest Van Dyck (1861–1923), bringing the document to Belgium. Van Dyck himself performed Wagner’s works on stage, including “Tannhäuser,” on multiple occasions.
Wagner, renowned for operas like “Tristan and Isolde,” “Parsifal,” and “The Ring of the Nibelung,” not only composed the music but also wrote the librettos for his productions. The auctioned score, signed by Wagner, was a personal copy prepared for Tichatschek, featuring annotations by the renowned tenor himself.
