Every discussion of the ambitions and infrastructure of a theater ultimately leads to a discussion of the theater's performers and staff. Only they could translate the management's vision into an unforgettable experience for hundreds of spectators every night. The most elaborate building, the most extravagant costumes, or the greatest budget could only facilitate, not create, a convincing narrative on stage. This chapter traces the lives and decisions of those who once populated the Metropol Theater both in front of and behind the curtain. To create a night of magic at the Metropol decisions had to be made: actors had to be selected, and roles defined. An analysis of the social relations and demographic backgrounds of the protagonists is vital for understanding such decisions. Our sense of the personal histories, professional training, and ethnic origins of actors or composers, for example, allows us to enter this complicated arena in which illusion became profession.

When Richard Schultz began with 200,000 marks earmarked per show (the royal opera house's [Königliche Oper] budget was 30,000 marks a show) he did not have any trouble recruiting collaborators for his theater. He easily attracted many of the greatest talents in popular entertainment. Religious and ethnic prejudices did not interfere with his choice of partners. Schultz saw himself as the head of a creative team that functioned well only if each member felt at ease and uninhibited.