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The King was late and so was the Queen at London's Albert Hall one afternoon last week. Conductor Arturo Toscanini did the unprecedented, held the New York Philharmonic-symphony waiting for more than ten minutes. Then spying the sedate Queen entering the royal box, he struck up "God Save the King" (King George alone stayed seated), followed it with "The Star Spangled Banner'' (the King stood with the rest), a Rossini overture and a heavy Teutonic program. Never before (the verdict was unanimous) had Britishers heard such a concert. Ten thousand cheered after each number. During the intermission the King called Toscanini to his box to congratulate him. And tall George Bernard Shaw, who sat throughout the concert wrapped in a raincoat, rushed up to the little Italian afterwards, almost crushed him in a great hug. Asked by newsmen for an opinion, Shaw said: "Any article by me on Toscanini would be worth £5,000."
Chicago Newcomers
Most distinctive feature of the Chicago Civic Opera's past season was the increased excellence of its German performances. Reasons: Conductor Egon Pollak, Soprano Frida Leider, Contralto Maria Olszewska, Tenor Theodore Strack, Basso Alexander Kipnis. Last week President Samuel Insull returned from Europe, announced that there would be still greater improvement next year. Wagner's Meistersinger and Smetana's Bartered Bride will be added to the repertoire. Four famed European artists have been engaged—Soprano Lotte Lehmann of the Vienna Staatsoper, Soprano Maria Rajdl (Dresden), Baritones Rudolf Bockelmann (Hamburg) and Eduard Habich (Berlin). A fifth newcomer will be Contralto Sonia Sharnova, a native Chicagoan who has toured for two seasons with the German Grand Opera Company.
*Prices listed are for entire albums which include several records. Where the price is not given, it is 75¢, standard price for popular 10-inch records.