Ludwig van Beethoven, Brief an Breitkopf & Härtel in Leipzig, Wien, 20. Mai 1811, Autograph

Beethoven expresses his sympathy to his publisher on the death of his wife. He says that he has now finished correcting opp. 80 and 81a and that they are on their way to Leipzig. The titles may be printed in French and German, but not exclusively in French. He asks for the publisher to be more careful when correcting in future and to organize the layout of the pages better so that it is easier to turn them.

Beethoven promises to try to stop his works being pirated in Austria on account of a prerogative, although he cannot guarantee this.

Beethoven allows the publisher more time to think about whether to publish op. 97 or not.

Apparently a desire had been expressed for a new opera. Beethoven says that he has looked for French books for texts "as I do not trust any of the writers here to write an original opera".