to Munich. But, in spite of the sovereign's continued favour,
Wagner found so many enemies that the sojourn there became
very unpleasant. It was then that the architect Semper made
the first plans for a theatre, in which the king intended that
'The Nibelungen Ring' should be played, as he had formally
commissioned Wagner to complete the work.

Driven away from his native land once more by the bitterness of
his enemies, Wagner, who still enjoyed Ludwig's entire favour,
withdrew in 1865 to Triebschen, where the 'Ring' progressed
steadily. It was there, in 1869, that he completed the Siegfried
score, and began that of 'The Twilight of the Gods,' which was
finished only some time later. As the King's plan for building a
national theatre for the representation of 'The Nibelungen Ring'
had to be abandoned, the scheme was taken up by the municipality
of the little town of Bayreuth. Wagner was cordially invited
to take up his residence there, and settled in his new home in
1872, when he was already sixty years of age.

Thanks to munificent private subscriptions secured in great
part by the Wagner societies in various parts of the world,
the long planned theatre was finally begun. It was finished in
1876, and the entire 'Nibelungen Ring' was performed there in
the month of August, the very best singers of the day taking
all the principal parts, which they rendered to the best of
their abilities. The result was a magnificent performance,
a musical triumph; but as the venture was not a financial
success, the performances were not repeated in the following
summer. Several new ventures, however, were made, and another
Wagner festival has just taken place, of which the real result