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ETP Book ref:	1067
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ISBN 13 :	9781904031772
Title:	The Theatres and Concert Halls of Fellner and Helmer
Author:	Michael Sell
Publication date:	09/21/2014
Publisher:	Entertainment Technology Press
Price:	GBP23.95
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Description:	This is the first British study of the works of the prolific Fellner and Helmer Atelier which was active from 1871-1914 during which time they produced over 80 theatre designs and are second in quantity only to Frank Matcham, to whom reference is made. This period is one of great change as a number of serious theatre fires which included Nice and Vienna had the effect of the introduction of safety legislation which affected theatre design. This study seeks to show how Fellner and Helmer and Frank Matcham dealt with this increasing safety legislation, in particular the way in which safety was built into their new three part theatres equipped with iron stages, safety curtains, electricity and appropriate access and egress and, in the Vienna practice, how this was achieved across 13 countries.
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About the Author(s):	Michael Sell has a background in education and training including working in many countries as an international consultant. He first became involved with the protection of theatres forty years ago and was co-editor of Curtains!!! – a new life for old theatres and The Theatres Trust Guide to British Theatres 1750-1950. He contributed to Frank Matcham Theatre Architect and Frank Matcham and Co and is a vice president of the Frank Matcham Society. He has acted as a rapporteur for The Theatres Trust and was a regular reviewer for The Stage for thirty years as well as a contributor to professional journals. His major interest in theatre architecture in the UK and elsewhere was the spur for researching Fellner and Helmer.

Contents by chapter:	Introduction The Family Connections 1 The Beginnings 1870-1885 2 Context of Change 3 The Boom Years 1885-1906 4 The Later Years 5 Alphabetical list of Fellner and Helmer Theatres AGRAM – now ZAGREB, Croatia 1881 National Theater; 1895 Koniglich Kroatisches; Landes und National Theater – now Hrvasko Narodni Kazaliste AUGSBURG, Bavaria, Germany AUSSIG, Bohemia, Kingdom of Bavaria. Now USTi nad LABEM, Czech Republic 1908 Neues Stadttheater, now Metske Divadlo BADEN BEI WIEN, Austria 1908-09 Stadttheater BERLIN – Germany1891-92 Theater unter den Linden / Metropole / Komische Oper BERNDORF, Austria 1898-99 Arbeitertheater BIELSKO-BIALA, Poland Alterations 1904-05. Stadttheater, now Teatr Polski BRÜNN, Moravia now BRNO, Czech Republic1870 Brünn, Interimtheater; 1881-82. Brünn, Deutsches Stadttheater; 1918-45 Brno divadlo na hradbach; 1945-46 Janacek Opera; 1946-65 Janacek Theatre; 1965 Mĕstkė divadlo/Mahon Theatre BUDAPEST, Hungary1874-75 Volkstheater, later Nepszinhaz; 1893-94 Somossy Orpheum, also known as Fővrosi Orfeum, Fővrosi Operettszinhaz, Budapesti Operett Szinhaz; 1895-96 Lustspieltheater – Vigszinhaz – National theater; (1949-1951) Hungarian People’s Army Theater; (1951-1959) Budapest – Comedy Theater CZERNOWITZ, Austrian Empirelater CERNAUTI Kingdom of Romania, RUSSIA as Ukrainian SSR, now CERNIVSTI, Republic of Ukraine; 1904-1905 Stadttheater, Czernowitz – Cernauti Teatrul National (1919-1940) DARMSTADT, Germany 1904-05. Grossherzogliches Theater – Hoftheater – Landestheater (1919 - ) DEN HAAG, Netherlands 1910-12. Rebuild of the Schouwburg competition DORTMUND, Germany 1901 Stadttheater competition ESSEG, Austria now OSIJEK Croatia ESSEN, Germany FIUME, Hungary – later FIUME, Italy – now RIJEKA, Croatia 1883-85 Fiume Stadttheater Hungary, Fiume Teatro Verdi, Rijeka Hrvsko Narodno Kazaliste FRANKFURT AM MAIN, Germany FREIBURG, Germany FÜRTH, Germany 1901-02 Stadttheater GABLONZ, Bohemia, Austria – now JABLONEC nad NISOU, Czech Republic 1906-07 Stadttheater, now Mĕtské divadlo GERA, Germany GIESSEN, Germany 1906-07 Stadttheater GRAZ Austria1898-99 Graz Stadttheater / Opernhaus; 1898 Graz Volkstheater projekt GROSSWARDEIN, Austria, NAGYVARAD, Hungary, now ORADEA, Romania 1899-1900 Stadttheater; Oradea Teatrul du Stat Oradea HALLE, Germany 1883. Halle, Stadttheater HAMBURG, Germany 1899-1900 Deutsches Schauspielhaus JASSY, Kingdom of Romania – now known as IASI1894-1896 Hoftheater now Teatrul national JUNGBUNZLAU, Kingdom of Bohemia, now MLADA BOLESLAV, Czech Republic 1906-09 Jungbunzlau Stadttheater, now Mlada Boleslav Mėstskė divadlo KARLSBAD/CARLSBAD, Kingdom of Bohemia now KARLOVY VARY, Czech Republic1880-81.Blanensky Pavilion; 1905-7 Festival Hall/Concert Hall, Grand Hotel Pupp; 1901. Orpheum Varieté, Hotel Schützenhaus later Hotel Narodni dum; 1884 Stadttheater/Divadlo/Municipal Theatre KASSA, Austria, KASSA, Hungary, KOSICE Slovakia1891 Stadttheater project KECSKÉMET, Hungary 1895-96 Stadttheater, from 1916 the Josef Katona Theater KIEL, Germany 1899. Kiel. Stadttheater project KLAGENFURT, Austria 1908-10 Stadttheater KLAUSENBURG, Austria, KOLÓZVAR, Hungary, CLUJ-NAPOCA, Romania1904-1906 Nationaltheater now Teatrul National; 1888. Krakow, Stadttheater project LAIBACH, Austria, LJUBLJANA, Slovenia 1889-1892 Stadttheater LANCUT, Poland Alterations 1911-12 Schlosstheater LEMBERG/LWOW/LVIV,Habsburg Dominions, Poland, Ukraine1895. Lemberg, Lwow,Lviv Opera and Ballet theatre Project LINZ, Austria 1896-98. Festsaal. Kaufmannisches Vereinshaus, Bismarck; 1910 Linz. Stadttheater project MAINZ, Germany 1898, Stadttheater, now Mainz Staattheater NEW YORK, USA 1906 New York Opera House project ODESSA Ukraine 1884-87 Stadttheater, Teatr opery ballet, National Academic Theatre of Opera and Ballet OTTENSHEIM, Linz, Austria Ottensheim Schloss Theatre PRAGUE, Kingdom of Bohemia, Austria, Czechoslovakia, Czech Republic 1886-87. Neues Deutsches Theater, Smetanova Divadlo, Opera House PRESSBURG/BRATISLAVA, Austria-Hungary, Czechoslovakia, Slovakia 1885 Bratislava/Pressburg Stadttheater RAVENSBURG, Germany 1896-97 and 1899 Ravensburg Conzerthaus 162 REICHENBERG, Kingdom of Bohemia; LIBEREC Czech Republic 1881-1883 Reichenberg/Liberec. Stadttheater/Divadlo FX Saldy ROSTOCK, Germany1890 Rostock. Stadttheater project SALZBURG, Austria 1890 Salzburg. Festspielhaus project; 1892-93 Salzburg Stadttheater/Landestheater SOFIA, Bulgaria 1905-07 Sofia, Nationaltheater, later Ivan Vazov Theater SZEGED, Hungary 1882-83 Stadttheater/ National Theater TEMESCHBERG, Germany, TEMESVAR, Hungary TIMISOARA, Romania 1881-82 Stadttheater TESCHEN, Habsburg dominions/CIESZYN, Poland 1909-1910 Stadttheater/Adam Mickiewicza Teatr THORN/TORUŃ, Poland 1903-04, Stadttheater / Teatr im Wilama Horzycy TOTIS, Germany / TATA, Hungary 1888 Castle Theatre VARAZD, Hungary / VARAŽDIN, Croatia 1870 Stadttheater und Redoute / Hrvatsko narodni kazalište / Croatian National Theater VIENNA, Austria 1871-72 Stadttheater, later Establissment Ronacher; 1887-88 Concert und Ballhaus Ronacher/ Etablissement Ronacher/ Varieté Ronacher/Ronacher; 1887 Deutsches Volkstheater/ Volkstheater; 1891-91 Austellungstheater; 1900-02 Theater an der Wien; 1905 Brand-Modell-Theater; 1911-13 Akademie Theatre; 1911-1913 Konzerthaus WIESBADEN, Germany 1892-1894 Wiesbaden Stadt und Konigslichtes Hoftheater / Hessiches Staatstheater ZURICH, Switzerland Stadttheater / Opernhaus; 1893-1895 Tonhalle Appendix 1 Architects of the Fellner and Helmer Atelier Appendix 2 Index of Towns with Fellner and Helmer Theatres, and their nationality Bibliography
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Reviews:	Whether you are an amateur theatre lover or a professional historian, Michael Sell’s book The Theatres and Concert Halls of Fellner and Helmer deserves your attention because it simultaneously explores the secrets of theatre art, architecture and history. This small sized publication contains a sea of knowledge about the theatrical and architectural wealth of the Viennese company Ferdinand Fellner and Hermann Helmer. The author has adopted the principle ‘from general to specific’ further simplifying the learning process by dividing the book into two main sections. The first part of the book contains texts describing the various stages of their life and work, their rich relations, as well as the wide historical and geographical context in which the firm operated. Thanks to this structure, the reader already familiar with Fellner and Helmer can refresh their memory, whilst the novice receives informational they need to begin their adventure. Recollecting the names of other architects who worked for the Atelier also uncovers the managerial style of the company and the collaboration within the firm. Thanks to a wide list of architects affiliated with the Atelier, a web of relationships is created which can be further investigated and expanded. The second and main part of the book focuses on specific theatre buildings and concert halls. The breadth and diversity of Fellner’s and Helmer’s oeuvre pictured by Mr Sell is a testament to the huge research work of analysis and comparison made by the author. For almost 140 pages Michael Sell weaves together the story of individual buildings. He doesn’t judge, but describes what was found during his personal visits to these theatres and archives. Starting with Agrem or current day Zagreb, the buildings are ordered alphabetically according to the cities in which they were built. Current names are given next to the theatres’ historical names. The buildings are also divided into finished as well as unrealised projects. With each building we are given a short note about the history of its construction, reconstruction and other important events. At the end of each note is a kind of ‘theatre passport’, with information about its capacity, costs of construction, stage measurements, interior design and the place where one can find the original blueprints. This ‘passport’ also tells us what other important structures were built by Fellner and Helmer in that city. The technical data in the building descriptions can certainly be useful for today’s directors and scenographers planning their performances in these theatres. What is particularly riveting is its fantastic collection of drawings, photos and sketches. This small book’s rich photographic documentation gives the reader a good grasp of the subject and a great first comparison of the buildings. Our further study is encouraged at every turn of the page by the author. Much of the documentation comes from the never before seen private archive of Ferdinand Fellner’s estate. Thanks to the work of Michael Sell we have the opportunity to be close to such treasures. Considering the increasing growth of cultural tourism Michael Sell’s book is a great asset to the library of anyone who would like to explore the world and its heritage through theatres. This book can be easily placed in your suitcase as a holiday guide, and used to search for travel as well as intellectual ideas. Monika Zytkowiak (with editing support from Bartosz Zytkowiak), The Theatres Trust
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