The San Francisco call., 1905-02-21
MUSICAL STARS
AVOID BERLIN
Paderewski, Melba, Kubelik
and CarusO Complain of
UnfairneSS i'm Germany
IRVING'S FORMER PAY
Famous Actor Forty Years
Ago in London Received
Fourteen Dollars a Week
IRVING'S FORMER PAY
Special Dispatch to The CAN.

LONDON, Feb. 20.-Hugo Gorlitz,
Paderewski's manager, is authority
for the rather surprising statement
that owing to unfair treatment re-
ceived by them in Berlin, six Of the
greatest musical artists of the twen-
tieth century, including Paderewski, de-
cline to accept engagements in the Ger
man capital at any terms. Gorlitz says
that when PaderewSki played at the
Philharmonic Hall in Berlin, opponents
of the great pianist bribed members
of the orchestra. He declares that the
horn deliberately played out of tune,
and when an encore was given the con-
ductor spent most of the time in sneez-
ing. So Paderewski has refused to
visit the Kaiser's capital again. de-
clining a recent offer of $500 for two
concerts.
Gorlitz saws that since Paderewski
was insulted the two De ReszkeS also
have declined offers from Berlin and
that, Melba, Caruso and Kubelik all
have received such unfair treatment
from musical critics in Berlin that
nothing will induce them to visit the
city.
Apropos of Paderewski, an account
has just come to hand of graceful
little act which the pianist performed
in Auckland, New Zealand, during his
recent tour. A concert which Pad
erewski had advertised at Auckland,
having been abruptly abandoned.
thirty music lovers who had Travelled
long distances to attend the recital
went to Paderewski's hotel for re-
dress. AS soon as the pianist under
stood their errand he had the whole
party up into his private apartments,
where he played several selections for
them and insisted on all hands having
supper with him afterward.
SHAW SCORES SHAKESPEARE.
George Bernard Shaw, having been
rediscovered in the United States re-
Gently, the go-ahead managers of the
Court Theater, who also are going to
produce plays by Ibsen, Brick, Mae
terlinck and w. B. Yeats during the
spring season, have decided to devote
much attention to the author OF
Candida" John Bulls Other Is
land is to have a two weeks run
beginning next Monday. The skit.
How He Lied to Her Hsuband,"
which Shaw wrote for Arnold Daily and
which has not yet been seen in this
country, will form part of a triple bill
at the Court before long. and bit later
You Never Can Tell is to be re-
vived.
Incidentally Shaw has been having
another go at the rival for whom he
has so eminent cOnIeQpI-J0e 1dte
William Shakespeare. In a lecture de-
livered at Manchester the other day,
Shaw declared that Shakespeare was a
Snob.
He was born snob, lived a snob
and died a snob,'' asserted Shaw.
Ills one. dream was to get enough
money to go back to Stratford to buy
back the property of his bankrupt
| family and get back their coat Of
arms. Do not suppose that Shakes
peare was a democratic character. He
had no religious belief, and his phil
osophy was that evil is greater than
good" Shaw also complained of the
want of sympathy for the democracy
in Shakespeare's plays. They are
crowded." he said. with kings and
mobiles, and the members of the lower
classes are always servants"
CALIFORNIA ON STAGE.
The play in "a Midsummer Nights
Dream" in which Bottom, the weaver;
Snug, the joiner, and their comrades
take part, is called to mind by a the
atrical performance which has just
been given in the little English village
of Hildenborough, Kent. The piece
given was a melodrama of California
called 1.-The Luck of the Brians, %
which had been written in the village
and was performed by villagers.
The cast included local tailor, two
. blacksmiths, a bicycle repairer, a gar
dener, a saddler's apprentice, groom