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
Fierrabras (opera) Fierrabras (opera) Fierrabras, 796, is a three-act German opera with spoken dialogue written by the composer Franz Schubert in 1823, to a libretto by , the general manager of the Theater am Kärntnertor (Vienna's Court Opera Theatre). Along with the earlier "Alfonso und Estrella", composed in 1822, it marks Schubert's attempt to compose grand Romantic opera in German, departing from the Singspiel tradition. The Kärntnertor Theater in 1822 commissioned operas from Schubert and Carl Maria von Weber in a drive to increase the number of German operas in repertoire. Schubert fulfilled his commission with "Fierrabras", von Weber his with "Euryanthe".