The kingdom of Bavaria was absorbed into the German Empire during the latterhalf of the 19th century. The stunningly handsome king of Bavaria -- whonever married and who would have operas and plays privately staged for him-- wandered between fantasy and reality, alone in his extravagant crystalpalace, Neuschwanstein. "I want to remain an eternal mystery to myself andothers," Ludwig II once said, and now we reach the final act of his drama.