disgust me with most of them.

The lack of naturalness, simplicity, makes them

unsympathetic to me.68

Free Artist
Early in February 1863 Rubinstein and Villoing wrote to the Directorate
of the St. Petersburg RMS, announcing that they wished to take the examina-
tion entitling them to the award Free Artist. With this request Rubinstein en-
closed copies of all his compositions. In her memoirs of Theodor Leschetizky,
Countess Potocka noted: Now Rubinstein, having no diploma from any con-
servatory, was simply put down as A. Rubinstein, son of a merchant. Strange as
it may seem, this insignicant circumstance had been a serious annoyance to
the great artist. One day he said to some of his friends, professors at the Con-
servatory: Please look at this abominable thing, my passport! Could anything
look worse? Gentlemen, give me an artists certicate. Dreyschock and Les-
chetizky signed Rubinsteins document.69 On 23 February 1863 (o.s.) an of-
cial record was made in the register of the Conservatory: Mess. Professors,
having examined the works of Mr. Rubinstein and Villoing, and taking into
account the universal artistic recognition of Mr. Rubinstein and the services
shown by Mr. Villoing in piano teaching70 . . . have unanimously acknowledged
that Mess. Rubinstein and Villoing are entirely worthy of the title Free Artist.71
The description in his passport, son of a merchant, was a constant reminder
to Rubinstein that his social standing in Russia was a lowly one, and it was
clearly the source of immense irritation.

Feramors in Dresden
Meanwhile, Rubinstein had received a telegram from Rodenberg tell-
ing him that Feramors had been successfully staged at the Hoftheater in Dres-
den on 24 February 1863. Karl August Krebs had taken up the post of music
director of the theater from Wagner in 1850, but it was the arrival of Rubin-
steins old friend, Julius Rietz, in 1860 to take charge of the opera and the or-
chestra that probably assisted in getting Feramors accepted for production. The
original cast is shown in the full score of the opera published by Senff, and it
indicates that Krebss wife sang the role of Hasa and Ludwig Schnorr von
Carolsfeld, the famous Wagnerian tenor and creator of the role of Tristan, sang
the role of Feramors:
Lallah Rookh, Princess of Hindostan Frau Jauner-Krall (soprano)
Hasa, her friend Frau Krebs-Michalesi (alto)
Feramors, a singer Herr Schnorr von Carolsfeld (tenor)
Fadladin, high vizier of Hindostan Herr Frenz (bass)
Chosru, envoy of the King of Bothara Herr Degele (baritone)
A muezzin Herr Schloss (tenor)
A messenger Herr Hollmann (tenor)

The Founding of the Russian Music Society 103