The times., 1898-07-03
THE GERMAN PLAYHOUSE
Continental Theaiers Are Much
Ahead Of Oar 0Wn.
MAGNIFICENT I. MPLrS OF ART
Come Model Structures Described.
Differences in Architecture-TE,s.
Process Of BuiidiRg-Prices Are
Lower There Than Here-Art and
Trade.

imposing IN their maS5lVeneSS they
suggest the eternity of art; beautiful in
their designs they show the universal
progress Of other arts, and astonishing
IL their costIiness their very presence
proves the reverence in which ali arts are
held" In these words Max O'Reli, prob
ably the greatest and most all-seeing of
European travellers, ends a recently-pub-
hshed eulogy OF the continental theaters.
That such man should be moved to such
expression can only be thoroughly un-
derstood by those who have seen the
structures in question, but for the bene-
nj Of those confined in this country ii
may be wen 10 state that the lines in no
way exaFgerate the glorious reality Of
their subject.
I.urcpe has no buildings of greater val
ue or superbness than its playhouses. As
the writer says. they exhibit in the fun
est extent The estimation in which acting
and the actor are held in those nations.
Bisotry and slavishness have had no
power to lessen their prevalence or their
cOstliuess.
This is particularly true in Germany,
where love Of the theater comes as near
being passion as anything the phleginat-
ic Teuton can feel To him the drama is
an educational institution not less TO be
thought of or esteemed than the govern
meut schools and its support IS part
o. his religion. After dinner and a quiet
hour in some convenient garden, he and
his family visit the theater and there re-
main silently and deyoIedly watching
performances that seem TO have been
founded on Chinese ideas Of length.
From long before o'clock until nearly
i he viii sit almost notionless, enjoying
ag.~.7a Soy ha - faFsr
sufficiently opulent 10 afford a seat down.
stairs he viii UncOmDlainingiy pay his
fifteen pfennis for standing room in the
gallery aad VIII find as much pleasure
there as dozs the truest OF orr own ur-
cn.ns. EOt 50 often a butcher. baker or
csadlestick maker as a student he Is
cspa5le Of appreciating everything that
s5ss on below him and Of aDplaudinS
both the sentiment and the work Of It's
Interpreter. Many a poverty-stricken
E-5-sliper Of Thespis goes without hs
dinner for the coveted space and num-
beers Of young men WHO look hardly able
II def-ay the small expenses that must
be met can beast Of having seen "O,hel-
10" or heard ''Lohengrin from forty 10
Sky times.
j IS perhaps only natural that a race
that 50 understands and appreciates the
AIT Of acting should have provided for
its maintenance the handsomest buildings
in The world And il the theate-s Of Ber-
lin, Dresden, Hanover. Hamburg. Bre-
men. Munich, ard Lcipsic do not equal
t2e beautiful structures Of Vienna and
Paris they arc at least 70 be favorably
compared with their rivals. Then. too,
while the cities last-named have each
PLAY house that stands supreme neither
can boast the half dozen or more excellent
examples Of tasty architecture claimed by
the former ones. Austria and Germany
Oh ~ id i -
Tnespis that are not surpassed anywhere.
II both places the state has very large
share in constructing the buildings and
IN managing them after their conn! elton.
All OF the larger houses are endowed
Ttcaly by their respective governments,
aid guaranteed a regular annuity that
efectually protects them against possi-
bic failure In return the authorities ex-
ercise certain rights in direction. Per
haps the national payment accounts more
than loyalty for the number of '.KonfgI
Operahaus" and ''Hof Theaters" that ex-
ist abroad.
Not infrequenuy the dictatorship Of
these institutions is given by royal ap-
p0tntment, and in most cases the privi-
leses extended the municipal and nationa!
officers show plainly the gratuity receiy-
ed
One Of the most necessary things in the
construction Of a foreign theater is its ex-
terror appearance. The presence Of Of
fees and stores on the ground floors OF
the structures, so general on this side of
the pond is not tolerated there The
average German would as soon see a sa-
Icon placed in one corner OF his church
as 10 find barber shops and dry goods es-
tzbiishments under q building given over
10 art There acting is not a trade and
management can hardly be called a mer-
cenary pursuit The theater is a govern
ment institution and must be reverenced
as such.
The average playhouse stands alone in
square. facing cicaer a boulevard or a
park Often some notable man. repro
ouced IN bronze. occupies a prominent
position directly in front of The doors
The building itself is almost invariably
OF marble and has an appearance of So
Edity. Glassiyeness and perpetaitY. Ar
ch -teCt urally Gothic or Greek II abOunis
either in balconies. facades and turrats
o. IN stone columns and great portals.
Toward lis grand entrance stretca not
only innumerabie gravel or asphalt
walks but driveways and carriage roads
The German Theater in Prague-where
ali things are divided between people of
that nationality and the native Bohen-
lars-has a bridge arrangement much
Ike that Of the Congressional Lfbrar-.
oy means Of which an uninterruptad
stream Of vehicles and pedestrians may
pass 10 and from the house without en-
daneering one another
There is seldom more than one entrance
70 such a place. and through that rich
and poor alike must pass. Inside the en-
try breaks up into numerous corridors
and halls. but admittance TO all parts Of
the structure Is first gained by this
means Next TO the park itself is often
q garden. whore the amusement-loyirC
may adjourn after the performance and
revel in the delights OF Orpheus and Rac-
chus. First-class military bands are in
attendance and walters are not lacking
while the absence of an excise law leaves
neither patron nor proprietor in fear OF
interruption after a stated hour
On the interior the foreign theater pre-
sents radical differences from our own
These are first exemplified in the many
winding passages that lead hfther and
thither. Tile-payed and marble-walled,
these corridors are generally marvels of
beauty There are statues of great val
ne IN every niche and GRANNY while
paintings and curios line the walls.
Heavily curtained doors show the way
70 waitins-rooms, toilet-rooms and TO
places where refreshment may be pro-
cured at purely nominal cost In these
halls parties Of gentlemen and ladies
promenade between the acts. people of
prominence discuss the latest political de-
veiopments and the subjects of the PrIn-
cess Nicotine walk to and fro enjoying
second after-dinner cigar. Through these.
too. the socially inclined pass on their
way to visit friends recognized during the
play and located in some of the opposite
boxes.
A feature that would appeal intensely to
the average American is the stand on the
first floor where ladies do and women