Since the earliest days of opera, the Electoral Court at Dresden was one of its most enthusiastic and extravagant patrons. The same could not be said of the dour, God-fearing mercantile city of Leipzig (J.S. Bach is not noted for his operatic compositions). Only relatively late did it allow itself the thrills of secular music drama.

But the two great Saxon cities, which had such different histories and cultures, have in our era been twin pillars of operatic excellence in the heart of Germany. Despite the grim post-war years and the traumatic changes since re-unification, their opera companies are flourishing again. Dresden has managed to maintain the traditional salaried company system, which gives rise to high standards in all departments, and the Leipzig opera house has enjoyed a resurgence with a succession of much-acclaimed productions.

Eastern Germany is being transformed by comprehensive reconstruction and painstaking restoration. The charms of those pre-war buildings which survived into the Communist era used to be veiled by dirt and neglect; now they are emerging as from a chrysalis. Elsewhere ‘historic’ buildings pop up anew, entirely rebuilt, but amazingly persuasive in their deceit. Leipzig in particular has become a city of pavement cafés and stylish shops, a world away from its recent past.

And then there are the art museums, with collections of international importance. The Old Masters Gallery and the Green Vault at Dresden are legendary, but there is much to delight in at many museums in both cities.

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