Omaha daily bee., 1908-11-01
TURNS DOWN OFFER
Shaftesbury Has Fine Voice, but Only
for Private Use.
STAGE HAS NO ATTRACTIONS
Might secure Five Thousand Dollars
a Week ~ He would Sing in
Music Halls on Con-
tract.

LONDON, Oct. 31.-(Special)-It has
been reported that the earl of Shaftesbury
has been invited to go on the American
music hall stage at the modest salary of
5000 a week. This beats Harry Lauder.
1t is the largest salary ever offered to an
amateur or even to an earl. Lots of the
English nobility have found their way to
the footlights, but few have possessed the
qualifications of the young earl of Shaftes-
bury, whose fine tenor voice entities him
to recognition and big pay. OF course. the
fact Of being entertained by a real live
lord should count on the playbills. Though
his lordship has at present declined the
flattering offer of a thirty weeks engage
ment in America at the sum named, 1t is
just possible that he may reconsider his
decision.
Earl with Record.
The earl of Shaftesbury stands i'm the
unique position-for a peer-of being wholly
Independent of filthy lucre; nor has he
achieved a reputation through the chan
nels Of notoriety which other titled stage
struck people have followed.A SO far, his
record has been a clean one. He has held
several important government commissions
and also army appointments. He was aide
de-camp to the governor OF Victoria in 1898
and has been alderman and lord mayor of
Belfast. His wife, the countess of Shaftes-
bury. is a sister of the luke of West
minister and lady-i in waiting to the princess
Of Wales. In fact, only quite recently the
earl and lady of SJaf. esbury entertained the
prince and princess Of Wales at their beau
tiful estate, st. Giles house. in Dorset
shire.
II the music hall stage captures the earl
II will have ono Of tho bItiaqf hloo1pd arfe-
tocrats who has ever appeared in public,
and the 5000 a week salary will be the
merest pittance under the circumstances.
One Of the conditions offered by the man
ager who is bidding for Lord Shaftesbury's
| contract is that the earl's dignity would
be sustained in accordance with the noble
vocalistS rank
The earl of Shaftesbury's voice is deemed
to be an exceptionally good tenor. He has
only sung in public on one occasional the
dedication of the new organ at the church
of Shaston st. James, Shaftesbury, where
he rendered with fine effect, IF with All
Your Hearts from Mendelssohn's Elijah"
and THE Soft Southern Breeze from Barn
abys "Rebekah." He has sung a great deal
in private and for charitable purposes.
Musical Record Behind Him.
Lord Shaftesbury comes by his musical
proclivities honestly. The earl's grand
father, the marquis of Donegal, was a
great singer in his day and did a lot to
immortalize many OF the old Irish folk
songs. He made considerable money from
his musical compositions, and gave a large
sum to the Irish famine fund in BLACK
~ The present earl is also strong on
Irish folk songs and is the head of the
Folk Song society. He has sung these songs
at Londonerry House, Park Lane, London
and at other private entertainment in
England.
Though the young earl has been singing
privately for some years. it was only a
short time ago that he first attracted the
attention of the music-hall managers. One
of them happened to be present in st.
James church on the occasion of the dedi-
cation of the new organ and he was greatly
impressed with the voice of the singer.
Some correspondence took place after this
and a definite offer was then made with
reference to tie American tour. A musical
critic, describing the voice, said; Lord
Shaftesbury possesses a voice of real eX-
cellence. Some of the tones in the middle
register are of quite exceptional character.
II not OF the robust order, the voice is by
no means light and is admirably suited for
singing ~oratorio music. The handling OF
the solos betokened the true enthusiastic
artist. Such a voice would indeed be al
acouisition tO the musical profession"