Opera in German were usually based on stories from Germanic or Arthurian legend. Finally, Wagner built his own opera house at Bayreuth, exclusively dedicated to performing his own works in the style he wanted. Wagner's innovations cast an immense shadow over subsequent composers, who struggled to absorb his influence while retaining their own individuality. One of the most successful composers of the following generation was Humperdinck, whose "Hänsel und Gretel" (1893) still has an assured place in the standard repertoire. Humperdinck turned back to folk song and the tales of the Brothers Grimm for inspiration. Yet, though "Hänsel" is often viewed as the
Theodor Körner (opera) full transliteration of the score and a performance of the entire opera are currently not envisaged. Theodor Körner (opera) Leyer und Schwert ("Lyre and Sword") (modern German spelling "Leier und Schwert") is a patriotic opera in five acts composed by Wendelin Weißheimer to a libretto by Louise Otto-Peters. Also known as Theodor Körner, the opera was composed in 1863/64 and premiered in Munich in 1872. The libretto is based on an episode in the life of the German poet and soldier Theodor Körner. The libretto was written by Louise Otto-Peters, who had already shown ardent interest in patriotic subjects as