Leipzig and Dresden have also fine theatres, the Dresden Opera House being specially famous for its associations with Weber and Wagner. Moreover, it is a fine building, magnificently situated in an imposing position, and having considerable architectural pretensions. The King of Saxony pays £31,000 for the opera, theatre, and orchestra, and also makes good any deficit that arises. At this theatre Richard Strauss has produced his two latest operas, _Salome_ and _Elektra_. [Sidenote: =Munich=] Munich has of late come to the front in operatic matters; the Court Theatre, administered from the Civil List, has for long devoted much attention to opera, but interest is now centred somewhat on the new “Prince Regent” Theatre, where an attempt is being made to outvie Bayreuth itself in the Wagner productions; fine performances have taken place during the last few summers; the best singers available have been engaged, and no expense spared in mounting and general details. Nor have the performances been confined to Wagner, for representations of Mozart’s operas have been interspersed with these. It is as yet too early to say what influence, if any, the new Munich house will have on the fortunes of Bayreuth, but it seems probable that a theatre even better fitted up than Bayreuth itself for Wagnerian performances, and in so much more central and easily reached a position, may in the near future very prejudicially affect the fortunes of the older house. Almost every German town of any size has its Opera House, and detailed description of these is manifestly impossible, although very much interest attaches to some of them; we must therefore conclude our account of the German theatres with a short description of the theatre built by Wagner at Bayreuth according to his own ideas of what such a house should be. [Sidenote: =Bayreuth=] There is little doubt that at the present time the Bayreuth Opera House is the most famous in the world; worship of Wagner is still wide-spread, and the halo surrounding his name and his home casts a glow upon the little town which he selected as the scene of his final labours; and, therefore, from all parts of the world, when the Bayreuth theatre opens its doors, pilgrimages are made, and devotees flock with an intense enthusiasm which has no parallel in the case of any other house. Moreover, until the Americans boldly pirated _Parsifal_, contrary to Wagner’s wishes, it was here only that his last great work could be heard; hence, to the true Wagnerian, Bayreuth is a spot sacred and hallowed, inspiring a reverence quite distinct from that felt for any other. [Illustration: BAYREUTH THEATRE.]