Despite how ideal such a situation may seem , the two conductors failed to get along as well as the company had hoped . Mahler became very upset upon Toscanini being given the opportunity to direct Wagner ’ s , Tristan und Isolde , feeling as though this was strictly German territory ( Fielder , 2003 ). Initially , Mahler won the battle , however , Toscanini may have won the war as he directed the 1909 production . Mahler ’ s increasingly poor health began to affect his work as he drifted further and further away from the company having felt insulted as a German ( Fielder , 2003 ). Mahler ’ s ties were permanently severed with the Met upon his death in 1911 at the young age of fifty ( Fielder , 2003 ). Toscanini would continue to have a momentous career at the Met , lasting roughly eight years ( Fielder , 2003 ). Notorious for having a fiery temper , Toscanini managed to never let it get in the way of his performances , nor the professionalism he hoped to exude in the company ( Fielder , 2003 ). Toscanini had numerous mixups with Gatti over creative control and budget interworking that likely prompted his departure at the start of World War I .
The war itself made numerous aspects of day-to-day performances excruciatingly difficult , however , Gatti was able to navigate the company through harsh waters by portraying great flexibility in budgeting and casting during a time of international havoc ( Fielder , 2003 ). Additionally , it finally seemed as though the importance of status and wealth were gradually falling further down the house ’ s list of priorities , particularly under the direction of board president , Otto Kahn ( Fielder , 2003 ). Fielder writes :
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