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
Monica Yunus Schwerin, where she also appeared as a last minute replacement in the role of Amor in "Orfeo ed Euridice". Yunus also won the Willam Matheus Sullivan Foundation Singer Award in 2003. In the 2004–2005 season, Yunus returned to Palm Beach Opera for their production of "Hänsel und Gretel" as Gretel. She also made her debuts at Anchorage Opera and the Spoleto Festival (USA) as Zerlina in Mozart's "Don Giovanni". Yunus also made her debut with Granite State Opera as Gilda in Verdi's "Rigoletto" and returned to Nashville Opera to perform the role of Adele in "Die Fledermaus". Yunus won the