Dresden Staatskapelle Dresden", founded in 1548. The Dresden State Theatre runs a number of smaller theatres. The Dresden State Operetta is the only independent operetta in Germany. The "Herkuleskeule" (Hercules club) is an important site in German-speaking political cabaret. There are several choirs in Dresden, the best-known of which is the Dresdner Kreuzchor (Choir of The Holy Cross). It is a boys' choir drawn from pupils of the Kreuzschule, and was founded in the 13th century. The "Dresdner Kapellknaben" are not related to the "Staatskapelle", but to the former "Hofkapelle", the Catholic cathedral, since 1980. The Dresden Philharmonic Orchestra is the
Transportation in Dresden is operated by the Dresdner Verkehrsbetriebe AG/DVB. The origins of the Dresden tramway can be traced back to the year 1872, when the first horse-drawn line opened between the city centre and the former village of Blasewitz, now a borough of Dresden. The tramway system is the backbone of public transport in Dresden. DVB operate twelve routes on a 200 km network. On the major lines through the inner city, where different routes intertwine, vehicles run up to every two minutes. Different routes can be identified by a route number scheme, which also extends to local and regional bus services,