The two star-architects' sphere of success was their absolute professionalism and their promptness in responding to commissions. While they were working on the theatre in Cernăuţi, which had a deadline of 1904, they managed to complete the work at the theatre in Fürth, as well. In 1881 they were supposed to start building the theatre in Zagreb, but due to financial problems, the work began only in 1894. However, because Franz Josef was to visit the town on October 1, 1895, Fellner & Helmer pushed the project to completion. The theatre in Kalsbad (Kalovy Vary), decorated with frescos by Gustav Klimt, was completed within a year. The construction of the theatre in Giessen was shortened by a year less than stipulated in the contract. The Popular Theatre (Népszínház) in Budapest was built in 18 months. In Klagenfurt, in 1908, it was decided, to have a theatre built for Franz Josef's 60 year jubilee. Because they were short of time, the city decided rather than organize another contest as usual, to entrust the work to the Viennese company. Certainly, their promptness was one of the company's main qualities. To this was added the low cost of the work, which was divided into stages in order to accomodate budgets. Alois von Wurm-Arnkreuz believes that Garnier's opera cost as much as the 48 theatres built by Fellner & Helmer⁵.

     At the end of the nineteenth century, Cluj was in the midst of a major architectural renewal. There were new urban activities that needed suitable buildings: the university, university clinics, schools, highschools, and museums. Urban restructuctions were implemented and medieval fortifications were demolished. The architect Lajos Pákey joined the effort to modernize the city. The main architectural style was a classic-like eclecticism, partly historicized. In Cluj, the first theatre, built at the beginning of the nineteenth century, between 1804 and 1821, stood where the Academic College stands today. Ferenc Veres's photo from 1859 shows it before the transformations made by Anton Kagerbauer in 1865⁶. This establishment was built as a consequence of a theatrical activity that had begun in the second half of the eighteenth century in the Rhédey house, 9 Unirii Square, at the corner of Napoca street⁷. In 1874, a Summer Theatre was built at the entrance of the Central Park. This was made from wood and lasted until 1910, being replaced by a Secession-style building. By that time, the new theatre - the National Theatre - was already in operation (Summer Theatre, before the annexation of the foyer).

It was clear that Cluj needed a new theatre building as well. Moreover, the mayor of Cluj, Géza Szvancsina, had been passionate about acting in his youth. The choice of location followed the Viennese model: nearby the city walls were out of use. In Vienna, this space formed the famous Ring, where all the new functions imposed by the modernization and emancipation of the capital were located. In Cluj, the place of the former cattle market, near the middle gate, was the location decided upon. The place looked somehow like the Vienna Ring.

     In the case of Cluj, we witness an intention that could be described as urban incoherence. The present Avram Iancu Square is strangled by the continuation of what we now call Cuza-Vodă street. Likewise, Blaga Square at present is constricted towards north and south and Mihai Viteazul Square is strangled by the continuation of Barifliu street. Only Avram Iancu Square and Ştefan cel Mare - which are a unitary urban configuration - have the coherence of the Viennese Ring. This is why this place was chosen to be the site for the new theatre.