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"Spree Athens" a Royal Opera House which Kaiser Wilhelm in his capacity as King of Prussia supports by a subsidy, but does not think worthy of the German Imperial and Prussian Royal capital. So he has called for designs which will not only replace the present building but modify the Königsplatz, at the other end. of which stands Wallott's Imperial Parliament Building.

A magnificent solution, both artistic and practical, of this problem, is offered by Prof. Martin Dülfer, of the Royal Saxon Technical High School, Dresden, who proposes to close the square with arcades, instead of providing for fine residences, public halls, museums, etc.

But instead of those which were suggested as proper to form a part of the framing of the Platz, he proposes to add a scenery storage building of good proportions in connection with the stage, so that all articles which are necessary to keep on hand or to make, for firstclass opera, can be kept there.

The form chosen for the opera house itself is one which is dignified and beautiful, yet gives the great height and lateral space necessary for the stage building.

One difficulty in the solution is, that as his Imperial and Royal Majesty has the privilege of paying the bills, and is not exactly addicted to republican or democratic simplicity, an immense amount of space-and the best space-must be devoted to boxes, reception-rooms, kitchens, etc., for court performances, balls, etc. The grand court box, for instance, contains 80 seats, and beside this come

four other royal boxes with eight seats each, approachable from the salon of the larger box.

The seating called for by these plans embraces:

In the first parquet, 264 seats; in the upper parquet, 759 seats, including 22 in boxes; in the first balcony, 312 seats, including 132 in boxes; in the second balcony, 207; in the third balcony, 282; in the fourth balcony, 272; in the fifth balcony, 228; in the gallery, 144; total, 2,468 seats.

As one of the requirements of the design is, that the occupants of the royal and court boxes shall not have to meet the public in coming or going, or be stared at by them other than through the framing of the boxes, the passage ways for these chosen places interfere a great deal with the planning. This is especially the case with these to the front parquet. Here, in case of court representations, the common or garden public would have to use the emergency exits as entrances as well as for exits. For New York, Prof. Dülfer would have been able to use the space-and the more satisfactorily to money-much

management and public.

The passages are very long, but in comparison with the size of the stage building not so dangerous in case of fire -the stage having a floor space of 105x

98.4 feet and a height of 108.5 feet to the flies, and above these 6.56 feet to the floor of the loft, which is about 23 feet high in the center. The depth under the stage is about 30 feet; stage opening 442 feet, with passages each side nearly 10 feet wide and 100 feet deep.

The storage house for scenery and properties is to be supplied with elevators and trolleys large enough to handle the heaviest articles called for. The artists and employees have their rooms in lateral buildings, about two large courts, and easily reached from the stage.

As to what the Kaiser-King calls for in the way of conveniences we have the following specifications:

1. An entrance structure with covered passages, stairway and elevator for five persons to the proscenium boxes.

2. A porte cochère with covered passages, stairway and elevator for five persons to the great royal box.

3. A disrobing room on the ground floor, near this latter.

4. Rooms for the suite and servants, on the ground floor, 861 sq. ft.

5. An antechamber and a tea-room next the proscenium, on the parquet level, 1,076.4 sq. ft.

6. An antechamber and a tea-room, next the proscenium, on the first balcony level, 1,076.4 sq. ft.

A New York-or even a Londonmanager would tear his hair at the prospect of taking out so much of the best space for occasional use-gratis!

As far as the auditorium is concerned, the specifications call for:

1. A porte cochère and ticket room with four ticket windows.

2. Main stairway to parquet and first balcony.

3. Dressing rooms for parquet and balconies.

4. Toilet rooms for the above-each with a vestibule.

5. Elevators corresponding to the stairways.

6. Main foyer for the rest of the balconies and the gallery.

7. Seats for 2,500 persons, giving all opportunity to see and hear. Orchestra chairs 25.2 inches wide; other chairs 22.4 inches; cheaper seats down to 20.8 inches wide. Chairs in boxes 26 inches wide.

Three living rooms and a waiting room for the concierge's family take up 1,346 sq. ft.

The orchestra has at its disposal the following space:

1. Room for the instruments, reachable from the stage level, with dressing room, 861 sq. ft.

2. Two tuning rooms, communicating both with the latter-named room and with the orchestra, total 1,615 sq. ft.

3. Four rooms for three orchestra leaders and a concert master, total 861 sq. ft.

4. Two rooms for the orchestra inspector and orchestra servant, total 323 sq. ft.

5. Assembly room and restaurant for the musicians, together, 1,345 sq. ft. 6. Orchestra space for 120 musicians (in the auditorium).

Then for the police (without which nothing may be done or undone in Germany) and the theatre employees:

1. Rooms for the principal inspectors, total, 1,346 sq. ft.

2. Eight rooms for concierge, housemaster, watchman, scrubwomen and ticket collectors, 1,615 sq. ft. in all.

3. Six rooms for police captain, policemen, "ventilator," assistant "ventilator" and engine and machinery inspector, total, 1,076 sq. ft.

The stage is about 10 feet above the general street level; is 97.6 feet wide and 91.5 feet deep, with 41.2 feet opening, side passages 9.15 feet wide, of the full stage depth.

Prof. Dülfer's design is the most strikingly original among those presented by the ten leading architects of Germany who were invited to submit competitive sketches in 1912. None of the designs then offered was accepted and at this writing the question of the new Royal Opera House is still under consideration.