In Maximilian Franz’s estate, which is preserved in the HHStA Wien (Vienna State Archive), there is a wealth of largely untapped documents concerning musical and theatrical life as well as organization of the court theatre and its people. Among these, there are three that merit special attention. They contain suggestions to the elector on how to organize his theatre, balancing financial concerns on the one hand, but keeping a high level of performances on the other. None of them is dated, which makes it difficult to say when and especially for what reason they were written, or – except in one case – by whom.

As for the “when,” it seems one can draw a quite logical conclusion. In 1789, Maximilian Franz reopened the court theatre after a 5-year closure under completely new organization. It therefore seems likely that they originated just before that time. However, the situation is a great deal more complex, as will become clear.

As for the “why,” there are actually at least two possibilities:

• Before reopening the theatre, Maximilian Franz himself commissioned proposals on that topic from various sides. Or,
• When it became known that the theatre would be operated as a court theatre from 1789, it also meant that the post of director would become vacant. So maybe those three documents represent a kind of “job application.”

The latter argument is strengthened by the only document for which the author is known: Heinrich Ferdinand Möller.

As mentioned in the last blog entry, Möller was a German actor, director, and member of Seyler’s Troupe in the 1770s, along with Neefe and Großmann. As a member of that troupe he seems to have already been in Bonn and Cologne in 1778. Therefore, there are several possible links to Bonn’s theatrical life.

The title of the document containing his signature on the last page is titled “Ohnmaßgebliche Vorschläge wie ein gutes Hof-Schauspiel zu errichten seye,“ or in English, “A Few Humbly Offered Suggestions on How a Good Court Theatre Should be Set Up.”

Back to the theory of the document being a “job application,” Möller himself gives a hint when writing: “[…] when unified under my knowledgeable direction, this would make for a magnificent ensemble […]” („[…] dieses unter meiner Kenntniß vollen geübten Direction vereint, machte schon ein herrliches asemble aus […]“) Therefore, he is pointing out his potential ability as a director of this, Bonn’s, theatre.

He also makes it clear that the idea of such a proposal actually originated with the elector: “Upon the exalted request of his royal highness, I likewise submit at his feet in the same manner the present plan in three parts […]” („Auf Seiner königlichen Hoheit höchsten Befehl lege ich gegenwärtigen Plan in drey Abtheilungen höchstdemselben zu Füßen: […]“)

This line also raises the possibility of another date: When the contract for the direction of the court theatre by Steiger and Reicha ended in 1794, the troupe of Schmitz in Koblenz offered their services, suggesting Möller as the director. That would make it plausible that Möller wrote such a proposal around that time.

To sum up some of the important arguments of Möller’s proposal: A central concern is not to run a separate operatic theatre but a combination of spoken and musical productions to keep the enterprise of a court theatre financially viable. Möller also sketches a very detailed plan for a system of pensions for singers and musicians. The third interesting point is Möller’s opinion of the ethical benefit of such a court theatre as an institution in the education of young artists that are coming out of poor circumstances.

The second – anonymous – proposal carries the (long-winded) title: “Humbly Offered Suggestions on How and, in my Opinion, What Kind of Proper and Good Theatrical Troupe can be Supported, and How a Well-Set-Up Comic Theatre Could be Laid Out” („Ohnmaßgeblicher Vorschlag, wie, und was art meiner einsicht nach ein ganz ordentliche und gute Schauspieler Gesellschaft dahier in Bonn ohngefehr Subsistieren und eine wohl eingerichtete Comedie könnte angeleget werden“). This document was already known and transcribed by Theodor Anton Henseler but never published in whole. Unfortunately, this document has no date as well but based on some of the singers that are mentioned, a date of 1784-1785 would be very likely.

The author seems to give special consideration to the demands of an aristocratic audience. Another focus lies on financial aspects and potential savings. As this was important in Möller’s proposal as well, one can draw the conclusion that the court and the theatre were in difficult financial states.

The author of the third document – again without a date, again anonymous – describes himself as a “Patriotic Friend of the Arts” (“patriotischer Kunstfreund”). His proposal is characterized by a high level of language and—rare by 18^th-century standards—perfect grammar. His most important concern are the ethical aspects of a „National-Schaubühne,“ or National Theatre.

One interesting line helps to date this document:“Beyond this, seven years ago we saw here all manner of actors: excellent, good, mediocre, and bad, some of whom still persist in memory.“ („Zudem haben wir ja hier seit sieben Jahren allerhand Schauspieler gesehen: Vortreffliche, gute, mittelmäßige und Schlechte, die manchen wohl noch im Andenken schweben werden.“)

But when does he start counting? It seems likely that he is referring to the first national theatre in Bonn. That would mean a beginning date of 1778, so his proposal could be dated around 1785, not long after Maximilian Franz’s arrival in Bonn and four years before the reopening of the court theatre.

As you can see, these documents raise many questions about when, why and by whom they were written. At least the second document, and probably the third as well, originated shortly after Maximilian Franz came to Bonn. Most importantly, this is evidence of a long process of thinking about and planning a newly organized court theatre, and could counter the argument that Maximilian Franz had no interest for his own theatre until 1789.