Marco Polo - Journalist, Explorer - Biography.com Marco Polo Venetian merchant and adventurer Marco Polo traveled from Europe to Asia from 1271 to 1295. He wrote Il Milione, known in English as The Travels of Marco Polo. IN THESE GROUPS » quotes “When a man is riding through this [Gobi] desert by night and for some reason ... he gets separated from his companions ... he hears spirit voices talking to him ...Often these voices lure him away from the path and he never finds it again."[from "Marco Polo" by Richard Humble.]” “I have not told half of what I saw.” “Without stones there is no arch.” “This [Gobi] desert is reported to be so long that it would take a year to go from end to end; and at the narrowest point it takes a month to cross it ...There is nothing at all to eat."[from "Marco Polo" by Richard Humble.]” “All the emperors of the world and all the kings of Christians and Sacracens combined would not possess such power or be able to accomplish so much as this same Kubilai, the Great Khan."[from "Marco Polo" by Richard Humble.]” “You might well say that [the Great Khan] has mastered the art of alchemy. With these pieces of paper they can buy anything and pay for anything."[on the use of paper money; from "Marco Polo" by Richard Humble.]” “The Christians say that their God was Jesus Christ, the Saracens Mahomet, the Jews Moses and the idolaters Sakyamuni Burkhan ... I do reverence and honor to all four, so that I may be sure of doing it to him who is greatest in heaven."[from "Marco Polo" by Richard Humble.]” “When the pirates capture a ship, they help themselves to both ship and cargo; but they do not hurt the crew. They say to them: 'Go and fetch another cargo. Then, with luck, you may bring us some more.'"[from "Marco Polo" by Richard Humble.]” “I believe it was God's will that we should come back, so that men might know the things that are in the world."[from "Marco Polo" by Richard Humble.]” “So it would have been better for the Caliph if he had given away his treasure to defend his land and his people rather than died with all his people and bereft of everything."[from "Marco Polo" by Richard Humble.]” “All things that [I] saw and did and with whatever [I] met of good or bad [I] put in writing and so told all in order to [my] lord."[from "Marco Polo: From Venice to Xanadu" by Laurence Bergreen.]” Marco Polo Marco Polo - Full Episode (TV-14; 45:45) The full biography of explorer Marco Polo. Synopsis Marco Polo was born in 1254, in Venice, Italy. He traveled extensively with his family, journeying from Europe to Asia from 1271 to 1295. He remained in China for 17 of those years. Around 1292, he left China, acting as consort along the way to a Mongol princess who was being sent to Persia. His book Il Milione describes his travels and experiences and influenced later adventurers and merchants. Early Life Marco Polo was born in the year 1254 to a wealthy Venetian merchant family. Much of his childhood was spent parentless, and he was raised by an extended family. Polo's mother died when he was young, and his father and uncle, successful jewel merchants Niccolo and Maffeo Polo, were in Asia for much of Polo's youth.  Their journeys brought them into present-day China, where they joined a diplomatic mission to the court of Kublai Khan, the Mongol leader whose grandfather, Genghis Khan, had conquered Northeast Asia. In 1269, the two men returned to Venice, and immediately started making plans for their return to Khan's court. During their stay with the leader, Khan had expressed his interest in Christianity and asked the Polo brothers to visit again with 100 priests and a collection of holy water. Khan's Empire, the largest the world had ever seen, was largely a mystery to those living within the borders of the Holy Roman Empire. A sophisticated culture outside the reaches of the Vatican seemed unfathomable, and yet, that's exactly what the Polo brothers described to confounded Venetians when they arrived home. Journey to China In 1271, Niccolo and Maffeo Polo set out for Asia again, but this time they brought youn


The flag of Vietnam is a yellow star on a background of what colour?

Background - Hanoi, VIETNAM Hanoi, VIETNAM Bibliography Vietnam flag- The Vietnam flag was designed in 1945 and officially approved as the national flag just 10 years after.The outline of Vietnams flag is a gold/ yellow star in the middle surrounded with a rich, red background. The colour red in the background represents a variety of history and meanings such as: the blood of victory, the revolution and the Vietnamese struggle for independence and the spirit of people. On the other hand, the large golden star is used to lead people into the future. The five points on the star represent the farmers, workers, intellectuals, youth and soldiers of Vietnam. Create a free website


Which TV drama was set in the offices of McKenzie, Brackman, Chaney and Kuzak?

Drama series set in the offices of McKenzie, Brackman, Chaney and Kuzak - crossword puzzle clues & answers - Dan Word «Let me solve it for you» Drama series set in the offices of McKenzie, Brackman, Chaney and Kuzak Today's crossword puzzle clue is a general knowledge one: Drama series set in the offices of McKenzie, Brackman, Chaney and Kuzak. We will try to find the right answer to this particular crossword clue. Here are the possible solutions for "Drama series set in the offices of McKenzie, Brackman, Chaney and Kuzak" clue. It was last seen in British general knowledge crossword. We have 1 possible answer in our database. Possible answer:


In which year of the First World War was the Battle of Verdun?

First World War.com - Battles - The Battle of Verdun, 1916 What's New Battles - The Battle of Verdun, 1916 The German siege of Verdun and its ring of forts, which comprised the longest battle of the First World War, has its roots in a letter sent by the German Chief of Staff, Erich von Falkenhayn , to the Kaiser, Wilhelm II , on Christmas Day 1915. Sponsored Links In his letter to the Kaiser, Falkenhayn argued that the key to winning the war    lay not on the Eastern Front, against Russia - whom he believed was on the    point of revolution and subsequent withdrawal from the war - but on the    Western Front.  He reasoned that if France could be defeated in a major    set-piece battle Britain would in all likelihood seek terms with Germany, or    else be defeated in turn. In his letter to Wilhelm Falkenhayn believed that Britain formed the foundation    of the Allied effort ranged against Germany and that she must be removed    from the war.  To that end he recommended implementation of a policy of    unrestricted submarine warfare against merchant shipping, a policy directed    squarely at starving Britain.  This combined with a knock-out block to    France would, he believed, bring about a successful conclusion to    hostilities. The    Kaiser acted upon Falkenhayn's recommendations, agreeing to the policy of    unrestricted submarine warfare, dangerous as it was in running the risk of    bringing the U.S. into the war.  He also sanctioned implementation of a    set-piece siege against Verdun, Falkenhayn's choice of French target,    starting in February 1916. In so doing he agreed to switch focus from the    Eastern Front to the Western Front.  This latter strategy was not without    its critics: in particular Paul von Hindenburg argued that the opportunity    was lost to capture the bulk of the Russian army.  Ultimately the failure of Falkenhayn's recommendations cost him his position. Falkenhayn's choice of Verdun as the focus of the German offensive was    shrewd.  Although relegated by France to the status of a minor fortress    during the early stages of the war, France having lost faith in the value of    fortress defences, Verdun maintained a great psychological hold in the minds    of the French people.  On a practical level the woods immediately behind    Verdun would have proved far easier to defend than the Verdun forts. The last fortress town to fall to the Prussians in the Franco-Prussian war of    1870-71, Verdun's fortifications had been significantly boosted in the 1880s    to withstand further attacks.  In addition its status as an important    fortress since Roman times guaranteed recognition of the name ‘Verdun' to    most Frenchmen.  In short, it was of greater value symbolically than    strategically.  Falkenhayn counted upon this. His    plan was to subject Verdun to intense bombardment, thus drawing in and    diverting French troops from all over the Western Front to the eight mile    wide front around Verdun. Falkenhayn's stated aim was to "bleed France white" in its defence of the ancient fortress town.  The fact that Verdun    formed a French salient into German lines only served to help Falkenhayn,    since it meant that it was open to attack from three sides at once. The task of besieging Verdun fell to the German Fifth Army under Crown Prince    Wilhelm .  He planned to assault the town from both side of the surrounding    Meuse River, a plan vetoed by Falkenhayn, who, cautious by nature, feared    heavy losses, ordered the attack to be confined to the east bank of the    river. Originally scheduled to start on 12 February the offensive was postponed to    21 February on account of poor weather, preceded by a 21 hour preliminary    bombardment . In the interim between the planned and actual start date    French Commander-in-Chief Joffre received intelligence of the imminent    attack, hastily deploying reinforcements to the


Who was the time keeper when Roger Bannister ran the first sub four- minute mile?

Roger Bannister Biography -Biography Online Roger Bannister Biography   Sir Roger Bannister was born in 1929. He went to study medicine at Oxford University. In 1952, he represented Great Britain in the Olympics in Helsinki however, Sir Roger Bannister could only finish 4th in the 1500 metres. Inspired by the intensive training and the three gold medals of Emile Zatopek, Bannister decided to make a great effort to beat the magical four minute barrier for the mile. Bannister was at the time working as a doctor and only had limited time for training in the evening. He focused on short intervals, anaerobic training and the use of block training (building up for certain weeks) For a long time the beautiful symmetry of the four minute mile had fascinated many. Some experts even suggested that such a time was impossible. In 1923, Paavo Nurmi, the Flying Finn, recorded a time of 4.10 Roger Bannister Breaks the Sub 4 minute Mile In 1953, Roger Bannister saw an opportunity at an athletic meeting between Oxford University and Amateur Athletics Association on 6 May. The actual day was cold, wet and windy and the record attempt was nearly called off. However, at the last moment, the wind died down and Bannister decided to take his chance. He was led out by 2 pacemakers Chris Chataway and Chris Brasher who led him for the first three laps. Then Bannister made his last effort for the line. Clearly on the verge of exhaustion, Bannister almost fainted over the line, before the time keeper (Norris McWhirter,) read out his time. McWhirter who went on to work on the Guinness Book of World Records, read out the time to create suspension. “Ladies and gentlemen, here is the result of event nine, the one mile: first, number forty one, R. G. Bannister, Amateur Athletic Association and formerly of Exeter and Merton Colleges, Oxford, with a time which is a new meeting and track record, and which—subject to ratification—will be a new English Native, British National, All-Comers, European, British Empire and World Record. The time was three…” The seconds were not heard as the 3,000 crowd cheered the historic moment. Six weeks later in Finland the Australian John Landy became the second person to beat the 4 minute mile setting a new world record of 3 minutes 57 seconds. But, who remembers the second person to run a sub four minute mile? Bannister held the one mile record for the shortest time. After breaking the record, Bannister concentrated on his medical career and remained modest about his ground breaking achievement. He said there was an element of luck in being the first person to break the four minute mile. It remains one of the great milestones of athletic history “The man who can drive himself further once the effort gets painful is the man who will win.” – Roger Bannister He went on to be a distinguished neurologist and Master of Pembroke College, Oxford, before retiring in 1993. When interviewed 50 years after the famous four minute mile, Bannister was asked whether he thought the sub four minute mile was his life’s greatest achievements. He said no. He felt his work in neurology was of greater importance. Bannister made discoveries in the field of autonomic failure. The current mile record is held by Hicham El Guerrouj’s with a time of 3:43.13. Citation : Pettinger, Tejvan . “Biography of Roger Bannister “, Oxford, UK – www.biographyonline.net . Last updated 9th August. 2014 The Four-Minute Mile – Roger Bannister


What name is given to the position of the Moon in it's orbit, when it is closest to the Earth?

Lunar Perigee and Apogee Home   Sun & Moon   Moon   Lunar Perigee and Apogee Lunar Perigee and Apogee The Moon's orbit around Earth is elliptical. The point of the orbit closest to Earth is called perigee, while the point farthest from Earth is known as apogee. The difference between apogee and perigee. The difference in Moon's Distance–from its center–to the center of Earth, at perigee and apogee. timeanddate.com Elliptical Orbit The Moon's orbit around Earth is elliptical, with one side closer to Earth than the other. As a result, the distance between the Moon and Earth varies throughout the month and the year. On average, the distance is about 382,900 kilometers (238,000 miles) from the Moon's center to the center of Earth. The point on the Moon's orbit closest to Earth is called the perigee and the point farthest away is the apogee. Supermoons & Micromoons A Supermoon versus a Micromoon. A Full Moon looks bigger and brighter when it occurs around perigee and smaller and dimmer at apogee. The Moon's phase and the date of its approach to its perigee or apogee are not synced. When a Full Moon or New Moon occurs close to the Moon's perigee, it is known as a Supermoon . On the other hand, when a Full Moon or New Moon occurs close to the Moon's apogee, it is known as a Micromoon . The Moon passes through the 2 extreme points–or apsides–perigee and apogee about once a month. The time it takes for the Moon to travel from perigee to perigee, is called the anomalistic month, and takes around 27.55455 days. This is not to be confused with the synodic month , which lasts a little longer, and is the time it takes the Moon to orbit once around Earth, from New Moon through all the Moon phases to the next New Moon. Moon phases and events Close to Earth The Supermoon on November 14, 2016 , was the closest a Full Moon has been to Earth since January 26, 1948 . The next time a Full Moon is even closer to Earth will be on November 25, 2034 (dates based on UTC time). Moonrise is the best time to view the Moon, weather permitting, of course. At this time, illusion mixes with reality to make a low-hanging Moon that looks unnaturally large when compared to foreground objects. Taking pictures of the Moon Lunar Libration In addition to its counterclockwise orbit around Earth, the Moon rotates around its axis at a constant speed. Like all celestial objects with elliptical orbits, the Moon's speed varies on its path around the Earth. It speeds up when it is at its perigee and slows down when it is at the apogee. This means that at its perigee, the Moon's orbital speed is faster than its rotational speed. When the Moon rocks slightly from north to south and wobbles a little from east to west, it is called lunar libration. This motion makes it possible, over time, to see up to 58% of the Moon’s surface from Earth, but only 50% at a time. Tidal Effects Moon's gravitational pull causes tides. Moon's gravitational pull causes tides. ©bigstockphoto.com/duallogic The tides on Earth are mostly generated by the Moon’s gravitational pull, in combination with the Sun. The tidal range, which is the difference between high and low tide, is greatest at Full and New Moon because the Sun and Moon are aligned on the same or opposite sides of Earth, and the oceans are affected by the combined gravitational pull of both the Sun and the Moon. During Supermoons, the gravitational pull leads to even larger variation between high and low tides. It causes higher spring tides, known as perigean spring tides. This has nothing to do with the season spring, but rather it is a synonym for jump or leap. The tidal range is smallest during the 2 Quarter Moons (Half Moons). These tides are known as neaps or neap tides, from Anglo-Saxon, meaning without the power. Natural Disaster Trigger? Although the Sun and the Moon’s alignment cause a small increase in tectonic activity, the effects of the Supermoon on Earth are minor. Many scientists have conducted studies and haven’t found anything significant that can link the Super Moon to natural disasters. According to NASA, the combi


Edward II was murdered in the south tower of which castle?

King Edward II’s Death – Hot Poker? | Times Higher Education Share on linkedin For centuries, it has been believed that King Edward II met his end in Berkeley Castle in 13. Having been captured by an army led by his queen, Isabella, and her lover, Sir Roger Mortimer, he was forced to abdicate in favour of his underage son, Edward III. He was then imprisoned and, according to those chroniclers most biased against his usurpers, was then subjected to a series of torments, including being starved and thrown into a pit full of rotting corpses. But it was the final torture that made Edward II’s death arguably the most famous in English royal history: a group of men pinned the deposed king beneath a mattress or table, pushed a horn into his anus, and then inserted a red-hot poker that burned out his internal organs. This grisly execution was supposedly devised to leave no visible mark on the body. Although many historians have long suspected that the red-hot poker story was just medieval propaganda, most agreed that Edward II was indeed murdered in 13. As a result, the death has a rare status in British history: part of the nation’s consciousness of its bloody heritage and a landmark date in works ranging from the Handbook of British Chronology to the tourist guidebooks to both Berkeley Castle and Gloucester Cathedral, where Edward II is buried. This creates huge problems for the historian who discovers that the murder simply did not happen: Edward II did not die in Berkeley Castle. That no newly discovered documents or recent forensic tests underpin this claim only increases the difficulties he faces. To challenge popular belief on such grounds is by no means unprecedented, but to challenge the consensus of academic opinion in this way is hardly imaginable. In fact, the idea that Edward II was not murdered was first mooted in 1877 when a French archivist published the text of a copy of an undated letter purporting to be from a papal notary, Manuele de Fieschi, to Edward III. This reported how the young king’s father had “escaped” from Berkeley Castle and, via Ireland, France and Germany, arrived in Lombardy. The great historians William Stubbs and Thomas Frederick Tout, writing in 1883 and 1919 respectively, could neither believe nor explain the text. Years later, though, Pierre Chaplais pointed out that royal accounts dated 1338-39 refer to a “William the Welshman”, who claimed with impunity to be Edward II in the presence of Edward III at Cologne and Antwerp. Other documents were published suggesting Edward II’s survival, including the judgment on his half-brother, the Earl of Kent, who was executed in March 1330 for trying to effect Edward’s release from Corfe Castle, even though the deposed king had supposedly been dead for three years. Against such evidence stood the chronicle reports stating that Edward II had died in Berkeley Castle. More important, a number of Edward III’s own statements attest to the murder, including records of the prosecution of the supposed murderers in the Parliamentary Rolls. The case seemed rock-solid. But recently, the evidence has been reconsidered from the point of view of the supposed murderers, and an entirely different picture of Edward II’s “death” has emerged. The key to understanding what happened is knowing how news of the king’s death spread. A message that Edward II had died on September 21 13 was sent from Berkeley Castle to Edward III in Lincoln. A public announcement was made after Parliament broke up on September 29, and the news was accepted in good faith. Three weeks later, Lord Berkeley led the funeral cort ge into Gloucester, and the interment took place in late December. But the corpse could have been anybody’s; before leaving the castle, it had been completely covered in waxed cloth and encased within two coffins. As the only chronicler to mention the event put it: the king’s body was exhibited “superficially”. The rule of Lord Mortimer was brought to an end in October 1330. He was hanged after being judged guilty of a long list of crimes, including Edward II’s murder. He w


What is the main ingredient of the traditional Scottish soup, 'Partan Bree'?

Traditional Scottish Recipes - Partan Bree Traditional Scottish Recipes - Partan Bree Partan is the Scots word for a crab and bree is a liquid in which something edible has been boiled and left to soak. So partan bree is crab soup! Ingredients: 2 oz (50g or � cup) rice 1 pint (600ml or 2� cups) milk 1 pint (600ml or 2� cups) liquor from boiling the crab � pint (125ml or � cup) single cream Salt and pepper Finely chopped chives Method: Remove all the meat from the crab, keeping the claw meat separate. Cook the rice in a pan with the milk and water until tender. Liquidise this with the brown body meat from the crab. Add the white meat and cream and reheat. Add salt and pepper to taste. If the partan bree is too thick, you can add some more milk if required. Serve garnished with fresh, green, finely chopped chives.


What was the name of New York's 'JFK Airport' before it was renamed in honour of the assassinated President?

History of JFK International Airport | eHow History of JFK International Airport  Email Save John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York is one of the busiest passenger airports in the United States. Yet it was designed only to relieve overflow from the nearby, crowded LaGuardia Airport. Today, JFK is one of the most recognizable airports in the world. Idlewild Airport The original name of JFK Airport was Idlewild Airport. It was named, when construction began in 1942, for the Idlewild Golf Course that the airport was built on. The initial planned size of the airport was only 1,000 acres. The airport was planned as a relief to the overcrowded LaGuardia Airport, already too busy for its size. 1943-1963 The airport was renamed Major General Alexander E. Anderson Airport in 1943, after a Queens resident. He was a member of the National Guard who died in World War II in 1942. In March 1948, the New York City Council again changed the name of the airport to New York International Airport, Anderson Field. Most people still called the airport Idlewild Airport until 1963. Becoming JFK Airport The airport was renamed the John F. Kennedy International Airport in December 1963. The renaming was in honor of the assassinated president, who was killed one month earlier. Since 1963, the airport has been known by the abbreviation JFK Airport to many travelers. JFK Airport Today JFK Airport is managed by the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, the agency that oversees bridges, tunnels, bus terminals, airports and seaports in New York City and New Jersey. The airport includes eight terminals and provides services to almost 80 domestic, international and charter airlines. Approximately 50 million passengers a year pass through JFK Airport. Economics of JFK JFK Airport generates over $30 billion a year, including over 35,000 jobs at the airport and almost $10 billion a year in salaries.


Who was the first Soviet leader not to be buried in Moscow's 'Red Square'?

Moscow | national capital, Russia | Britannica.com national capital, Russia Nikon Moscow, Russian Moskva, city, capital of Russia , in the far western part of the country. Since it was first mentioned in the chronicles of 1147, Moscow has played a vital role in Russian history. It became the capital of Muscovy ( the Grand Principality of Moscow ) in the late 13th century; hence, the people of Moscow are known as Muscovites . Today Moscow is not only the political centre of Russia but also the country’s most populous city and its industrial, cultural, scientific, and educational capital. For more than 600 years Moscow also has been the spiritual centre of the Russian Orthodox Church . Time-lapse video of Moscow. Video by Florian Kriechbaumer (A Britannica Publishing Partner) Moscow. Moscow. Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc. The capital of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (U.S.S.R.) until the union dissolved in 1991, Moscow attracted world attention as a centre of communist power; indeed, the name of the seat of the former Soviet government and the successor Russian government, the Kremlin (Russian: Kreml), was a synonym for Soviet authority. The dissolution of the U.S.S.R. brought tremendous economic and political change, along with a significant concentration of Russia’s wealth, into Moscow. Area 414 square miles (1,035 square km). Pop. (2010) city, 11,738,547; (2013 est.) city, 11,979,529. Character of the city If St. Petersburg is Russia’s “window on Europe,” Moscow is Russia’s heart. It is an upbeat, vibrant, and sometimes wearisome city. Much of Moscow was reconstructed after it was occupied by the French under Napoleon I in 1812 and almost entirely destroyed by fire. Moscow has not stopped being refurbished and modernized and continues to experience rapid social change. Russia’s Soviet past collides with its capitalist present everywhere in the country, but nowhere is this contrast more visible than in Moscow. Vladimir Ilich Lenin ’s Mausoleum remains intact, as do many dreary five-story apartment buildings from the era of Nikita Khrushchev ’s rule (the mid-1950s to the mid-1960s), yet glitzy automobiles and Western-style supermarkets, casinos, and nightclubs are equally visible. Many Orthodox churches, as well as some synagogues and mosques, have been restored, Moscow’s novel theatres have reclaimed leadership in the dramatic arts, and traditional markets have been revived and expanded. These markets, which under the Soviets were known as kolkhoz (collective-farm) markets and sold mainly crafts and produce, are now more sophisticated retail establishments. Similar Topics Kaliningrad It has become habitual to compare Moscow with St. Petersburg , its rival and the former (1712–1918) capital of Russia. While St. Petersburg has absorbed western European influences, Moscow is viewed as a traditional Russian city. Unlike its rival, Moscow has a well-defined city centre marked by the Kremlin . Other characteristics of Moscow are its physical layout in radial spokes and rings that have been extended over time, its hodgepodge of architectural styles, and its historical buildings that were mainly built by Russian architects. Moscow’s buildings were predominantly wooden until the 1920s, when brick and stone came into use. The Kremlin, as seen from the Moscow River. © Lloid/Shutterstock.com Landscape City site Moscow is located in western Russia about 400 miles (640 km) southeast of St. Petersburg and 300 miles (480 km) east of the border with Belarus . It stands on the Moscow River , a tributary of the Oka and thus of the Volga , in the centre of the vast plain of European Russia. The city and its surrounding area, the Moscow oblast (province), lie in the northwest corner of the most highly developed and densely populated part of Russia. Moscow is situated in the broad, extremely shallow valley of the Moscow River and its tributaries. The advances and retreats of glaciers during the Pleistocene Epoch (about 2,600,000 to 11,700 years ago) deposited a thick mantle of boulder clays and morainic sands and gravels into which t


What is the setting for Beethoven's opera 'Fidelio'?

San Francisco Symphony - BEETHOVEN: Fidelio San Francisco Symphony Fidelio, Opera in Two Acts, Opus 72   Ludwig van Beethoven was born in Bonn, then an independent electorate of Germany, probably on December 16, 1770 (he was baptized on the 17th), and died March 26, 1827, in Vienna, Austria. His opera Fidelio was finalized in May 1814 as the second revision of the opera that had been premiered under that name, in an earlier form, on November 20, 1805, at Vienna’s Theater an der Wien, and revised for its revival at the same theater on March 29, 1806, under the title Leonore, oder Der Triumph der ehelichen Liebe. In its final version, Fidelio received its first performance on May 23, 1814, at the Kärntnertortheater in Vienna, with soprano Anna Milder in the title role, Giulio Radichi as Florestan, and baritone Johann Michael Vogl (later famous as a champion of Schubert’s songs) in the role of Don Pizarro. The libretto was originally derived (in 1805) by Joseph von Sonnleithner from the French libretto Léonore, ou l’amour conjugal, by Jean-Nicolas Bouilly. It was adapted for the 1806 production by Stephan von Breuning, and in 1814 Georg Friedrich Treitschke adapted it still further for the definitive version of Fidelio. Fidelio came to the US when it was staged—in English—at the Park Theatre, New York, on September 9, 1839. The San Francisco Symphony first presented Fidelio in concert performances conducted by Herbert Blomstedt in June 1986, with Luana DeVol (Fidelio/Leonore), Reiner Goldberg (Florestan), Paul Plishka (Rocco), Günter Reich (Pizarro), Beverly Morgan (Marzelline), Gene Tucker (Jaquino), and Leslie Guinn (Don Fernando).The most recent performances were conducted by Michael Tilson Thomas in May 2004; the singers were Tina Kiberg (Fidelio/Leonore), Robert Gambill (Florestan), Paul Plishka (Rocco), Tom Fox (Pizarro), Anna Christy (Marzelline), Eric Cutler (Jaquino), and Dan Borowski (Don Fernando).  In addition to the vocal soloists and chorus, the score calls for two flutes and piccolo, two oboes, two clarinets, two bassoons and contrabassoon, four horns, two trumpets plus offstage trumpet, two trombones, timpani, and strings. Performance time: about two hours and ten minutes.   “I follow my inner calling, / Waver, I shall not, / Strength I derive / From faithfulness and love.”  This concluding affirmation of Leonore’s powerful aria “Abscheulicher!” from Act I of Fidelio sums up the heroine’s unwavering dedication to freeing her imprisoned husband. We might wonder if it ever occurred to Beethoven how apt those same words would be to describe his own steadfast compulsion to compose an opera. Independent arias, ballet sequences, and incidental music for theatrical productions run liberally through his catalogue, but when it came to creating a complete standalone opera Beethoven seemed ever hopeful but perpetually stymied. He was always on the lookout for an appropriate libretto. For about four years (1807-11) he toyed with writing an opera based on Macbeth and for three years in the 1820s he held on to the libretto for Melusine, which the poet Franz Grillparzer crafted expressly for him from a medieval fairy tale. At different times Beethoven expressed interest in creating operas from tales involving the deceived knight Bradamante and the questing scholar Faust, but these ideas also came to naught.  His first real attempt at opera came in 1803: Vestas Feuer, a drama set in ancient Rome with a libretto by Emanuel Schikaneder (who a dozen years earlier had crafted the libretto for Mozart’s Die Zauberflöte). But Beethoven’s heart wasn’t in it, and he diverted most of his creative energy that year to his Third Symphony and Waldstein Piano Sonata—probably a good thing for posterity.   The one opera he did manage to sink his talons into and carry through to completion—and another completion, and yet another after that—was the work he unveiled in 1805 under the title Fidelio; revived the following year as Leonore, oder Der Triumph der ehelichen Liebe (Leonore, or The Triumph of Marital Love); and transformed yet again in


The Isle of Man's 'Laxey Wheel' is the largest water wheel in the world. What name is it known by?

Largest working waterwheel in the world - Review of Laxey Wheel, Laxey, Isle of Man - TripAdvisor “Largest working waterwheel in the world” Reviewed September 5, 2010 The Laxey Wheel is the largest working waterwheel in the world. It was once used to pump water to the ‘Great Laxey Mines’ that once produced lead, silver, copper and zinc. The wheel is water powered as the Isle of Man does not have a supply of coal but does have an abundance of water from the local river. When you go to Laxey you can see the wheel from a distance as its stands magnificent and is a real tourist magnet. Its best if you go from Douglas to combine a trip to Laxey with Ramsey. If travelling by car there is a narrow lane to the car park that includes a tight turn. I confess this time I did not bother and just parked nearby and walked up to the wheel. I have been up the wheel a few times. You go up a circular stair case and enjoy views of the island on a good day. You can also walk down the surrounding areas such as the disused mines. This time we spent more time walking along the trails to enjoy the surrounding countryside. The mine employed once had over 600 miners until it closed in 1929. The Manx Government now owns the wheel and site and is part of the Manx National Heritage. Of course the real reason to visit is to admire the working wheel. Helpful? “Wheeley nice day out!” Reviewed September 3, 2010 Been several times taking neices and nephews, this time we did the mines railway from the laxey valley gardens though to the bottom of the wheel.. Be warned if you go to the top, its high.. be careful of steps and watch the low beam half way up the stairs. The views from the top are amazing, BF got to the top and couldnt get down quick enough!! You wonder on past up to the mines, put your hard hat on and in you go... you may get a little wet but worth it for the views. A beautiful place and will probably still go many times over. Helpful? “Attractive Industrial Heritage” Reviewed February 26, 2008 The Laxey Wheel (which is called the Lady Isabella) is located in Laxey on the north east coast of the island. It has a car park which is accessed through a pretty tight turn. The wheel is a water wheel once used to pump water from the mine workings. Its the largest water wheel in the world, with a diameter of 72 ft, and is usually running. You can climb to the top of the wheel via a circular stair case, this is a fairly steep climb, although not too long, its worth while as you end up on a platform level with the top of the wheel, and feels a lot higher than it is. You can also walk down a short section of mine. Quite a few trails start and finish at the wheel and are sign posted. You can picnic next to the wheel with benches provided. On Saturdays & bank holidays there is a small steam train service that runs between the Laxey wheel and the Snaefell wheel which is located lower down in Laxey itself. Its best to visit in dry weather. The wheel is an interesting and attractive place to visit, if you just want to visit the wheel and mine I'd allow about 1-2 hours for a visit, if you want to explore the old buildings and trails I'd allow up to half a day. Helpful?


On which river is the Cabora Bassa dam situated?

Cahora Bassa | dam and hydroelectric facility, Mozambique | Britannica.com dam and hydroelectric facility, Mozambique Written By: Alternative Titles: Cabora Bassa, Cabora Bassa Dam, Cahora Bassa Dam, Hidroeléctrica de Cabora Bassa Similar Topics Aswan High Dam Cahora Bassa, also spelled Cabora Bassa, arch dam and hydroelectric facility on the Zambezi River in western Mozambique . The dam, located about 80 miles (125 km) northwest of Tete, is 560 feet (171 m) high and 994 feet (303 m) wide at the crest. It has a volume of 667,000,000 cubic yards (510,000,000 cubic m). The dam impounds Lake Cahora Bassa , which is 150 miles (240 km) long and 19 miles (31 km) wide at its widest point. The lake has a capacity of 51,075,000 acre-feet (63,000,000,000 cubic m) and extends to the Zambia-Mozambique border. The dam was built by a consortium of Portuguese, German, British, and South African companies; construction of the dam began in 1969 and was completed in 1974. The last of five 425-megawatt generators was installed in 1979. Cahora Bassa dam supplies power primarily to South Africa over an 870-mile- (1,400-kilometre-) long, dual 530-kilowatt transmission line and also to Maputo, Tete, and the Moatize coal mines near the town of Tete. Power transmission to South Africa was interrupted during the Mozambican civil war but resumed during the mid-1990s. The Companhia Hidroeléctrica de Cahora Bassa was owned by Portugal until 1992. Learn More in these related articles:


Cuba and Jamaica are part of which group of West Indian islands?

Geography GEOGRAPHY OF JAMAICA The islands of the Caribbean look like stepping stones stretching in an arc from the western end of Venezuela in South America to the peninsula of Florida in North America. The Caribbean islands are divided into two groups: The Greater Antilles:  Forming the northern part of the arc are four large islands, Cuba, Hispaniola (made up of Haiti and the Dominican Republic), Jamaica and Puerto Rico. The Lesser Antilles:  The eastern end of the arc consists of the smaller islands which together form the Lesser Antilles. These include the West Indian islands of St. Kitts, Nevis, Anguilla, Antigua, Montserrat (this group is called the Leeward Islands), Grenada, St. Lucia, St. Vincent, Dominica (This group is called the Windward Islands), Barbados, Trinidad and Tobago and the French islands of Martinique and Guadeloupe. The islands vary widely in size, ranging from Cuba and Hispaniola, by far the largest, to the tiny islands of the Grenadines. Those which have English as their official language and are members of the Commonwealth are usually referred to as the West Indies. The body of water bounded by these islands and the northern coast of South America is the Caribbean Sea Almost at the centre of the Caribbean Sea, Jamaica lies 150 kilometres (90 miles) south of Cuba and 160 kilometres (100 miles) west of Haiti, the two nearest countries. The closest point to Jamaica in South America is Cartagena in Colombia, a distance of 710 kilometres (445 miles) almost due south The latitude and longitude of the capital, Kingston, are about 18 degrees N and 78 degrees W. Jamaica is the largest of the English Speaking West Indian islands. It has an area of 11,424 square kilometres (4,411 square miles), more than twice the area of Trinidad, which is next in size, and measures 243 kilometres (146 miles) from east to west. Its greatest width is 80 kilometres (51 miles), from St. Ann's Bay to Portland Point. The distance from Kingston to the nearest point on the north coast, Annotto Bay, is 36 kilometres (22 miles). Jamaica is centrally situated in the Caribbean Zone. It lies on the direct sea routes from the United States of America and Europe to the Panama Canal. ORIGIN OF THE ISLAND Jamaica belongs to the Central American region of the Western Hemisphere. The West Indian islands are actually the summits of a submarine range of mountains which in prehistoric times perhaps formed one large land mass connecting Central America to Venezuela in South America. During the ages, vast changes took place in this region of the earth's crust. The land subsided beneath the sea. When it rose again only the highest parts of it appeared above the surface of the sea. These formed the Caribbean islands, which have remained separate and distinct islands ever since. A close examination of the structure of the islands shows that there is a single mountain range in Puerto Rico which may be regarded as the centre of the submarine system. This range runs into Haiti, where it divides into three separate branches connected by submarine ridges. The northern branch passes through the north of Cuba as the Organos Mountains, and then into the Peninsula of Yucatan. The central branch passes into southern Cuba as the Sierra Maestra and continues under the sea into Central America. The south range passes through Jamaica, forming the Blue Mountains, the central mountain range of the island, and continues into Honduras. East of Puerto Rico the main chain divides itself, forming an inner chain and an outer chain of islands. The inner chain includes St. Lucia, St. Vincent and Grenada. The other chain can be traced through the Virgin Islands, Antigua, Barbados, Tobago and northern Trinidad, continuing into the South American Continent as the coastal mountains of Venezuela. DESCRIPTION Christopher Columbus's thoughts as he first set eyes on Jamaica while his fleet steered for St. Ann's Bay on his second voyage of discovery to the New World in 1494, are com-municated to us by the Spanish historian Andres


Who was the expedition leader when Edmund Hillary became the first person to climb Mount Everest?

Hillary and Norgay Were the First to Climb Mt. Everest By Jennifer Rosenberg Updated March 29, 2016. After years of dreaming about it and seven weeks of climbing, New Zealander Edmund Hillary and Nepalese Tenzing Norgay reached the top of Mount Everest , the highest mountain in the world, at 11:30 a.m. on May 29, 1953. They were the first people to ever reach the summit of Mount Everest. Earlier Attempts to Climb Mt. Everest Mount Everest had long been considered unclimbable by some and the ultimate climbing challenge by others. Soaring in height to 29,035 feet (8,850 m), the famous mountain is located in the Himalayas, along the border of Nepal and Tibet, China. Before Hillary and Tenzing successfully reached the summit, two other expeditions got close. Most famous of these was the 1924 climb of George Leigh Mallory and Andrew "Sandy" Irvine. They climbed Mount Everest at a time when the aid of compressed air was still new and controversial. The pair of climbers was last seen still going strong at the Second Step (about 28,140 - 28,300 ft). continue reading below our video Profile of Tenzing Norgay Many people still wonder if Mallory and Irvine might have been the first to make it to the top of Mount Everest. However, since the two men did not make it back down the mountain alive, perhaps we'll never know for sure. The Dangers of Climbing the Highest Mountain in the World Mallory and Irvine certainly were not the last to die upon the mountain. Climbing Mount Everest is extremely dangerous. Besides the freezing weather (which puts climbers at risk for extreme frostbite) and the obvious potential for long falls from cliffs and into deep crevasses, climbers of Mount Everest suffer from the effects of the extreme high altitude, often called "mountain sickness." The high altitude prevents the human body from getting enough oxygen to the brain, causing hypoxia. Any climber who climbs above 8,000 feet could get mountain sickness and the higher they climb, the more severe the symptoms may become. Most climbers of Mount Everest at least suffer from headaches, cloudiness of thought, lack of sleep, loss of appetite, and fatigue. And some, if not acclimated correctly, could show the more acute signs of altitude sickness, which includes dementia, trouble walking, lack of physical coordination, delusions, and coma. To prevent the acute symptoms of altitude sickness, climbers of Mount Everest spend a lot of their time slowly acclimating their bodies to the increasingly high altitudes. This is why it can take climbers many weeks to climb Mt. Everest. Food and Supplies In addition to humans, not many creatures or plants can live in high altitudes either. For this reason, food sources for climbers of Mt. Everest are relatively nonexistent. So, in preparation for their climb, climbers and their teams must plan, purchase, and then carry all of their food and supplies with them up the mountain. Most teams hire Sherpas to help carry their supplies up the mountain. (The Sherpa are a previously nomadic people who live near Mt. Everest and who have the unusual ability of being able to quickly physically adapt to higher altitudes.) Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay Go Up the Mountain Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay were part of the British Everest Expedition, 1953, led by Colonel John Hunt. Hunt had selected a team of people who were experienced climbers from all around the British Empire . Among the eleven chosen climbers, Edmund Hillary was selected as a climber from New Zealand and Tenzing Norgay, though born a Sherpa, was recruited from his home in India. Also along for the trip was a filmmaker to document their progress and a writer for The Times, both were there in the hopes of documenting a successful climb to the summit. Very importantly, a physiologist rounded out the team. After months of planning and organizing, the expedition began to climb. On their way up, the team established nine camps, some of which are still used by climbers today. Out of all the climbers on the expedition, only four would get a chance to make an attempt to r


In the Christian church in Britain, which feat day falls on the first Thursday after Trinity Sunday?

Corpus Christi in United Kingdom Home   Calendar   Holidays   United Kingdom   Corpus Christi Corpus Christi in United Kingdom Many Christians in the United Kingdom, especially those of Roman Catholic faith, observe Corpus Christi in honor of the Holy Eucharist. It is also known as the Feast of the Most Holy Body of Christ, as well as the Day of Wreaths. Hands holding a Communion wafer Communion wafers are usually offered at a church service during Corpus Christi. ©iStockphoto.com/MKucova What Do People Do? Corpus Christi is mainly celebrated in the Roman Catholic Church, but it is also observed in a few Anglican churches in the United Kingdom. Many Christians, particularly those who belong to the Catholic denomination, receive Communion on this day. Some people, particularly children, receive their first Communion during Corpus Christi. This practice, also known as the Eucharist, involves people accepting consecrated bread and wine (or grape juice), which according to Christian faith are Jesus Christ’s body and blood. Corpus Christi usually falls on the Thursday after Trinity Sunday although some churches may celebrate it on the Sunday after Trinity Sunday. The town of Arundel, in south-east England, has celebrated the feast of Corpus Christi for more than a century. Celebrations include a festival of flowers, which features a carpet of flowers in the Cathedral’s central aisle. The flowers are usually open to the public. The festival also includes a mass and a Blessed Sacrament procession from the cathedral to the town’s castle. Public Life


Which scale is used to measure the intensity, not the magnitude, of earthquakes?

How Are Earthquake Magnitudes Measured? How Are Earthquake Magnitudes Measured? The Richter Scale Figure 1 - Charles Richter studying a seismogram. There are a number of ways to measure the magnitude   of an earthquake. The first widely-used method, the Richter scale, was developed   by Charles F. Richter in 1934. It used a formula based on amplitude of the   largest wave recorded on a specific type of seismometer and the distance   between the earthquake and the seismometer. That scale was specific to California   earthquakes; other scales, based on wave amplitudes and total earthquake   duration, were developed for use in other situations and they were designed   to be consistent with Richter’s scale. The Moment Magnitude Scale Unfortunately, many scales, such as the Richter scale,   do not provide accurate estimates for large magnitude earthquakes. Today   the moment magnitude   scale,   abbreviated MW, is preferred because it works   over a wider range of earthquake sizes and is applicable globally.   The moment magnitude scale is based on the   total moment release of the earthquake. Moment is a product of the   distance a fault moved and the force required to move it. It is derived   from modeling   recordings of the earthquake at multiple stations. Moment magnitude   estimates are about the same as Richter magnitudes for small to large   earthquakes. But only the moment magnitude scale is capable of measuring   M8 (read ‘magnitude   8’) and greater events accurately. Magnitudes are based on a logarithmic scale (base  10). What this means is that for each whole number you go up on the magnitude  scale, the amplitude of the ground motion recorded by a seismograph goes up  ten times. Using this scale, a magnitude 5 earthquake would result in ten times  the level of ground shaking as a magnitude 4 earthquake (and 32 times as much  energy would be released). To give you an idea how these numbers can add up,  think of it in terms of the energy released by explosives: a magnitude 1 seismic  wave releases as much energy as blowing up 6 ounces of TNT. A magnitude 8 earthquake  releases as much energy as detonating 6 million tons of TNT. Pretty  impressive, huh? Fortunately, most of the earthquakes that occur each year  are magnitude 2.5 or less, too small to be felt by most people. Magnitude scales can be used to desribe earthquakes so small that they are  expressed in negative numbers. The scale also has no upper limit, so it can  describe  earthquakes of unimaginable and (so far) unexperienced intensity, such as magnitude  10.0 and beyond. Here's a table describing the magnitudes of earthquakes, their effects, and the estimated number of those earthquakes that occur each year. The Mercalli Scale Figure 2 - Giuseppe Mercalli Another way to measure the strength of an earthquake is to use the Mercalli scale. Invented by Giuseppe Mercalli in 1902, this scale uses the observations of the people who experienced the earthquake to estimate its intensity. The Mercalli scale isn't considered as scientific as the Richter scale, though. Some witnesses of the earthquake might exaggerate just how bad things were during the earthquake and you may not find two witnesses who agree on what happened; everybody will say something different. The amount of damage caused by the earthquake may not accurately record how strong it was either. Some things that affect the amount of damage that occurs are: the building designs, the distance from the epicenter, and the type of surface material (rock or dirt) the buildings rest on. Different building designs hold up differently in an earthquake and the further you are from the earthquake, the less damage you'll usually see. Whether a building is built on solid rock or sand makes a big difference in how much damage it takes. Solid rock usually shakes less than sand, so a building built on top of solid rock shouldn't be as damaged as it might if it was sitting on a sandy lot.


Who is credited with being the first Archbishop of Canterbury?

Archbishop of Canterbury - OrthodoxWiki Archbishop of Canterbury Jump to: navigation , search The Archbishop of Canterbury is "the primate of all England" within the Church of England and the spiritual head of the Anglican Communion . His see is at Canterbury Cathedral in Kent, England and his residence is Lambeth Palace in London. Contents 5 External link The current archbishop The current Archbishop of Canterbury is the Right Honorable and Most Reverend Justin Welby, 105th holder of the Chair of St. Augustine of Canterbury . The previous archbishop Rowan Douglas Williams was born in Wales on June 14 , 1950. He studied theology at Christ's College of Cambridge University where he doctoral work on the Russian Orthodox Church and particularly the thought of Vladimir Lossky . For some years he was a professor of theology at Oxford University. In 1992 he was elevated to Anglican Bishop of Monmouth, and then in 2000 he was made Anglican Archbishop of Wales. In 2002 he was elevated to Archbishop of Canterbury, from which he retired in 2012. A prolific writer, Dr. Williams has published books in theology, spirituality, Christian history and poetry. Of particular interest to Orthodox Christians might be two books of meditations on icons , entitled The Dwelling of the Light: Praying With Icons of Christ ( ISBN 0802827780 ) and Ponder These Things: Praying With Icons of the Virgin ( ISBN 1580511244 ). He is also the editor of the book Sergii Bulgakov: Towards a Russian Political Theology ( ISBN 056708650X ). History Christianity reached England by the middle of the second century. As St. Bede relates in his Ecclesiastical History of the English People , in 156 a British King by the name of Lucius wrote to Eleutherus, bishop of Rome, asking to be made a Christian. (Bk 1, Chap 4) With the work of missionaries throughout the first few centuries AD, Christianity spread and took root. In 596 Pope Gregory the Great decided to send a mission to the Anglo-Saxons in the British Isles. He chose a to send a group of Benedictine monks, under the leadership of St. Augustine of Canterbury (not to be confused with Augustine of Hippo ). Augustine and his fellow monks arrived in Kent in 597 and eventually a see city was set up in Canterbury, Augustine being the first Archbishop. It is said that that when they arrived they were "carrying a silver cross and an image of Jesus Christ painted on a board, which thus became, so far as we know, 'Canterbury's first icon .'" (Lesser Feasts and Fasts, p. 252) With Augustine and those who came after him, the British Isles were slowly put under the authority of the Church of Rome. As with the rest of the Western Church, this authority increased over the next 500 years. Up until the time of the Anglican Reformation, the Archbishop of Canterbury was an appointee of the Bishop of Rome . Thus, at the time of the Great Schism the Church in England went along with the Western side of the break, accepting Papal supremacy and the Filioque . In the 16th century, England, influenced both by political factors and the Continental Reformation, broke away from Rome and became an independent Church. Thus, the list of successive Archbishops of Canterbury, can be categorized according to three groups: Orthodox Archbishops, Roman Catholic Archbishops and Reformation Archbishops (see below). Archbishops of Canterbury throughout history Orthodox Archbishops of Canterbury


What is the name of the national UK charity that was founded by Sir Arthur Pearson in 1915 to help blind ex- servicemen and women?

Timeline of blind veterans uk We leave Church Stretton and return to Brighton. 1948 Our administrative headquarters moves to 191 Old Marylebone Road, London.  1952 Her Majesty the Queen becomes our Patron. This role was initially taken on by her great-grandmother Queen Alexandra soon after we were founded.  1965 We collaborate with institutions in the United States on the development of the new ‘long cane’ walking stick and with the RNIB on its introduction in this country 1976  Tony Parkinson and Ray Peart are the first of our blind veterans to compete in the Paralympic Games (then known as the 'Olympiad for the Physically Disabled'), held in Toronto, Canada. 1979 Together with the RNIB, we evaluate the Kurzweil - the first reading machine to instantly convert print into speech. 1984 We move headquarters to our current location in Harcourt Street, London. 1985 HM The Queen visits our Brighton centre to open the new South Wing. This provides additional facilities and extra accommodation for our blind veterans and their partners.  2000 We change our constitution, expanding to allow all veterans who have lost their sight to join us, irrespective of when and how this occurred.   2004 Ray Hazan, who was blinded whilst serving in Northern Ireland, is elected as our President. Ray continues to hold this position and in 2012 was awarded the OBE for his services to the blind ex-service community. 2005 We open a new centre in Sheffield, enabling rehabilitation and training to be provided more accessibly for those of our blind veterans living in the north of the country.    2009 Henry Allingham, the world's oldest man, who had joined us in 2005, dies peacefully at our Brighton centre at the age of 113. The funeral is held with full military honours at St Nicholas Church, Brighton. 2011 We open another new centre, at Llandudno in north Wales. 2012 We change name to Blind Veterans UK, to help more people understand who we are and what we do. We also launched our No One Alone campaign, to reach out to new blind veterans in need of our support. 2013 Our Brighton centre celebrates its 75th anniversary with many special events. 2015 We celebrate our 100th anniversary with special events including a Buckingham Palace Garden Party and a service at Westminster Abbey Explore


Which is Britain's oldest public museum?

The Ashmolean - The World's Oldest Museum in Oxford What is the Ashmolean Museum of Art and Archaeology:   The Ashmolean is the UK's oldest museum open to the public. It is also part of Oxford University and museum staff and collections are often incorporated in the univeristy's degree courses. The Ashmolean is named after Elias Ashmole, a seventeenth century collector of antiquities, who gave his collections to the museum on condition that they be housed in a custom built museum. The museum, as it exists today, is the product of a 1908 merger of the original Ashmolean with an even older institution, The University Art Collection, which was founded in 1620 as a collection of portraits and curiosities displayed in the University's Bodleian Library .   A Cabinet of Curiosities:   As was often the case in the 17th to the early 19th centuries, collectors of antiquities amassed objects of curiosity in a relatively random, though fascinating way. Some of those kinds of objects are still displayed at the Ashmolean. continue reading below our video Before Your Road Trip, Watch This So, for example, visitors can see the lantern Guy Fawkes was carrying on his way to blow up Parliament in 1605 and a sword which may have been given to Henry VIII by the Pope - before he decided to divorce and break away from the Church, no doubt. The museum also exhibits a Stradivarius violin known as the "Messiah",one of the most famous Stradivari in existence. It is not called the Messiah because it is in any way miraculous, but simply because one of its owners in the 19th century often boasted about it but never showed it. A friend commented that it was like the Messiah, "always promised but never appearing." The violin is never played but forms part of the university's study collection.   The "dickhead" Plate and Other Treasures of the Ashmolean: Also among the eccentric treasures of the Ashmolean are: Powhatan's deerskin mantle. Powhatan was Pocahontas' father. The Alfred Jewel, an Anglo Saxon ornament of gold, enamel and rock crystal. An Anglo Saxon inscription on the jewel says "Alfred ordered me to be made," indicating an association with King Alfred the Great. Drawings by Michaelangelo , Raphael and Rembrandt Several other old master paintings A striking sculptured bust of Sir Christopher Wren , credited to a sculptor in his studio and most likely done from life. The Jericho Skull, a 10,000 year old representation of the human form and one of the oldest ever found. A Renaissance dirty joke in Maiolica. The pottery plate, painted by Francesco Urbini, is decorated with a head composed entirely of penises, an inscription on the plate says "Every man looks at me as if I were a head of dicks" Astonishing to realise that particular vulgarity has a history that goes back almost 500 years. The plate, painted between 1530 and 1537, it is said to be a satirical comment on the sexual explicitness of many of the writers of the period.   The Ashmolean Transformed:   In 2009, the Ashmolean reopened to the public after undergoing a £61 million renovation. The transformation involved creating an entirely new, five story building within the Ashmolean's historic facade. The new building has given the Ashmolean 100% more exhibition space and has turned it from a fusty institution, academic in a very old fashioned sense, to an exciting contemporary museum, capable of showing off its world famous collections to a modern audience. Today's visitors can explore 39 new galleries, learning about the history of civilizations through time, east and west. The renovations did not simply create a new look museum but a virtually new museum. When it was reopened by the Queen in 2009, Christopher Brown, the museum's director, told the BBC, "From the outset, our ambition has been to create not just an improved and expanded version of Britain's oldest public museum, but something significantly different in kind: A new way of showcasing the Ashmolean's remarkable collections, for the benefit of the widest possible audience." If you are planning a visit to Oxford or the nearby a


Which opera does the famous aria 'Nessun Dorma' come from?

Turandot | The Opera 101 The Opera 101 Fill out the fields below to contact us! Your name * Quiz About Turandot is Puccini’s final opera (unfinished at his death) and perhaps as a result, it is by far and away his most musically adventurous. As in Madama Butterfly , the score is filled with Asian touches, the percussion section in particular packed with gongs and various tuned instruments (xylophones, glockenspiels and the like). It is still, however, an Italian opera with the outrageously titled Ping, Pang and Pong a spin on classic Commedia dell’arte characters. Turandot at the Royal Opera House It’s an opera that blends epic chorus passages with some brilliantly intimate moments. Indeed the chorus plays a much more significant role than in Puccini’s other operas, acting as an onstage witness to well over half of the action. The opening is a powerful series of five chords, said to musically depict an executioner’s axe falling, and that hair-raising effect is spectacularly well maintained throughout. The Opening of Turandot Turandot also contains arguably the most famous tenor aria in all of opera, "Nessun Dorma", an instantly recognizable piece of music that has lost its dark meaning by being repeatedly considered out of context. The conclusion stretches incredulity even by operatic standards, but as Puccini didn’t write it, he can’t be blamed! Characters Formerly king of Tartary. Currently old and blind. Synopsis Act I - Running Time: 35 mins The curtain rises on a surging crowd. A mandarin announces that anyone wishing to marry Princess Turandot must answer three riddles. Failure means death. The Prince of Persia has just failed and will be executed when the moon rises. The bloodlust of the crowd is dealt with brutally by the palace guards, and Timur, a blind, old man is knocked to the ground. Liu, his slave, cries out for help and Calaf comes to their aid. As luck would have it Calaf is Timur’s son! Timur was king of Tartary, making Calaf a prince, but has long been deposed. Only Liu has remained faithful to him. Calaf warns them not to mention his name as he fears being discovered by the Emperor. Turandot at the Forbidden City Calaf (Jose Cura) © Johan Persson/Royal Opera As the moon rises the Prince of Persia is led to his death. The crowd appeals in his favor but Turandot appears and signals for the execution to continue. Calaf sees Turandot and falls in love. The Prince of Persia is executed. Blinded by Turandot’s beauty, Calaf is about to rush forward and bang the gong, signaling that he wishes to take the riddles, when Ping, Pang and Pong appear. The jaunty threesome tell him not to risk it, as do Timur and Liu, the latter being not very secretly in love with Calaf. Calaf is touched but never the less runs forward shouting Turandot’s name and bangs the gong three times. Turandot accepts his challenge as the curtain falls on Act I. Act II - Running Time: 50 mins Scene 1 Ping, Pang and Pong discuss their place in society, interspersing humor - do we prepare for a wedding or a funeral - and nostalgia - we are living in an era of endless death. A trumpet sounds announcing the entrance of the Emperor. Scene 2 The Emperor asks Calaf to withdraw his challenge. Turandot emerges and begins to describe why no man may possess her. (This is actually the first music she sings in the opera.) Her ancestor Princess Lo-u-Ling ruled until she was raped and murdered by a foreign prince, and Turandot believes Lo-u-Ling lives in her. Out of revenge, no man will ever have her. She advises Calaf to withdraw but he is having none of it. She gives the three riddles... What is born each night and dies each dawn? What flickers red and warm like a flame, but is not fire? What is like ice, but burns like fire? ...each of which he correctly answers. Turandot is distraught at having to marry and pleads with her father, but he insists that she go through with it. Calaf, believing love will win out, gives her one possible escape: he is a prince and if she can learn his name before sunrise, then he will die at dawn. Turandot accepts and the cu


Which is the only one of New York's five boroughs that is situated on the mainland?

New York | Boroughs of New York City | Sights and Cultural Attractions New York   New York is the biggest city in the United States with a population of over 8 million . It lies along the Hudson River in the southeast corner of the state that has the same name. New York is always alive – a “city that never sleeps”.   Boroughs New York is made up of five districts, called boroughs. Manhattan is the central part of New York. It is the smallest district with an area of only 60 square kilometres. All of the city’s major banks and the stock exchanges can be found here. It is the seat of the city’s government and the home of cultural institutions. Brooklyn is a major seaport and the centre of industry. It has the most residents of all boroughs and is known as the district of churches and homes. Queens is the largest of New York’s boroughs. It consists of rows of single-family houses and is often referred to as the city’s biggest suburb. Whites, Hispanics and Blacks live together in Queens. The Bronx , a residential district with many apartment buildings, is the only borough situated on the mainland. For many years Staten Island could only be reached by ferry. Today, the borough is connected with Brooklyn through the Verrazano – Narrows Bridge. The opening of this bridge in 1964 led many New Yorkers to move to Staten Island.   Population   New York is a melting pot of different nationalities with people who have their origins all over the world. Hispanics, African Americans and people of European origin make up most of the city’s population. Ellis Island, not far from the Statue of Liberty , was once the main entry point for the millions of immigrants who have come to America in the past two centuries. The first immigrants came from England, Germany and Scandinavia at the beginning of the 19th century. Between 1880 and 1930 Eastern Europeans, Italians and the Irish came to America. After World War II Asians, Cubans and Hispanics came to New York in large numbers. The city also has the largest Jewish community in the world.     Sights For over a hundred years the Statue of Liberty has been a symbol of the United States. It stands on Liberty Island and was a gift that France gave to the USA in 1886 as a symbol of friendship between the two countries . With its pedestal made of concrete the statue has a height of 93 metres. It represents a woman looking out over the harbour. On her head is a crown and in her hand a torch. Although tourists can go up to the observation deck in the crown, the torch itself is closed to all visitors. Times Square, where 42 nd Street and Broadway meet, is often called Crossroads of the World. Millions of people see it on television every New Year’s Eve. It got its name because the New York Times building was originally located there. Today it is home to theatres and cinemas with many electronic billboards surrounding the square. Times Square - Terabass   The Empire State Building is one of the best known buildings in the world. Located in the middle of Manhattan, the steel framed structure has 102 storeys and a height of 381 metres. Built in 1931, it was the first building of such a tremendous height. For over twenty years it was the tallest building in the world and the tallest building of New York until the construction of the World Trade Centre in the 1970s. The building has appeared in famous films like King Kong and Superman. About 2 million tourists visit the Empire State Building every year. Central Park is the largest and most important public park in Manhattan. It extends for about 4km and has an area of 340 hectares. The park includes lakes, ice rinks, fountains, playgrounds, bicycle paths and other facilities. When it was built in the 1840s the park was far away from the city’s centre. Some of it was farming area another part was swampy, wet land that had to be laid dry. It took 20,000 workers more than 15 years to remove thousands of trees and complete the park. Brooklyn Bridge, built between 1869 and 1883 connects Manhattan with New York’s most populous borough, Brooklyn. The 1.5 km long b


Which British athlete was taking part in her sixth Summer Olympic Games when she competed in the 1996 Atlanta event?

Kelly Holmes (Medalist) - Pics, Videos, Dating, & News Kelly Holmes Middle Distance Athlete and Olympic Gold Medallist Female Born Apr 19, 1970 Dame Kelly Holmes, DBE is a retired British middle distance athlete. Holmes specialised in the 800 metres and 1500 metres events and won a gold medal for both distances at the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens. She set British records in numerous events and still holds the records over the 600, 800, 1000, and 1500 metres distances.…  Read More related links Queenâs Baton Relay For Commonwealth Games Comes To Bury Bury Free Press - Jan 29, 2014 ' The Queenâs Baton Relay is coming to Bury St Edmunds as part of its journey across the UK to launch the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow. The Baton will arrive in Suffolk on Monday June 9 and visit Lowestoft, Newmarket, Bury St Edmunds and Ipswich. It will arrive in Bury in the early afternoon and visit a Super 8âs schools athletics competition in the town. Cllr Sara Mildmay-White, St Edmundsbury cabinet member for health, well being and sport, said: âI am thrilled that the Queenâs Baton wi... The Fight For Equality In Sport Rages On Huffington Post Sports - Oct 30, 2013 'One hundred years ago, Emily Davison ran on to Epsom racecourse during the Derby horse race, and was killed by the King\'s horse. In 1913 she was generally considered mad. It wasn\'t until later that she became a feminist icon who paid the ultimate price in her quest for equal rights for women. There is a BBC documentary on the incident that is well worth watching. \nHer sacrifice did not go unheeded and society in much of the world has come a long way in terms of gender equality, but the b... Adopted Yorkshire Triathlon Star Is Proud Of Her Welsh Roots Yorkshire Evening Post - Jul 12, 2013 ' Named after St Davidâs mother St Non, triathlete Non Stanford is deeply proud of her Welsh roots. But success for Wales will be success for Leeds with the girl dubbed âa female Brownleeâ in love with Yorkshire two years on from her arrival. Stanford, 24, is the current under-23 world champion who is fourth in the Elite Women World Series in which she tasted victory in Madrid in June. And key to the relentless progress has been the Swansea-born starâs move to Leeds to join the cityâs thriv... Paralympic Honours Row: David Weir Should Have Got A Knighthood, Says Mp Guardian (UK) - Dec 30, 2012 ' Former sports minister Gerry Sutcliffe says honours committee missed an opportunity to show consistency in sporting awards The former sports minister Gerry Sutcliffe has weighed into the controversy about perceived double-standards for Olympic and Paralympic athletes in the New Year honours list. Sutcliffe said the decision not to give more Paralympians top honours was a \"big mistake\" and a \"missed opportunity\" to be consistent with their Olympic counterparts. His comments came afte... Learn about the memorable moments in the evolution of Kelly Holmes. CHILDHOOD 1970 Birth Born on April 19, 1970. 1980 10 Years Old Her hero was British middle distance runner Steve Ovett, and she was inspired by his success at the 1980 Summer Olympics. … Read More However, Holmes later turned her back on athletics, joining the British Army at the age of 18, having left school two years earlier, working initially as a shop assistant in a sweet shop and later as a nursing assistant for disabled patients. In the Army, she was initially a lorry driver in the Women's Royal Army Corps (WRAC), later becoming a basic Physical Training Instructor (PTI). Read Less TEENAGE 1987 17 Years Old Holmes was born in Pembury, Kent, the daughter of Derrick Holmes, a Jamaican-born car mechanic, and an English mother, Pam Norman. Her mother, 18 at the time of her birth, married painter and decorator Michael Norris, whom Holmes regards as her father, seven years later, and the couple had two more children (Kevin, born 1977 and Stuart, born 1980) before splitting up in 1987. … Read More Holmes grew up in Hildenborough and attended Hildenborough CEP School, and then Hugh Christie Comprehensive School in Tonbr


Which type of tradesman is a 'gaffer', often seen in the production credits at the end of a film?

Film & TV Jobs and Magazine | Media Match | Job Descriptions Accounting Assistant Performs clerical work in support of company accounts and utilizes financial management software to do so. This person must compile, analyze, reconcile, and verify financial and statistical data as well as perform related work as assigned by their superior. [Search jobs...] ADR Recordist Automated Dialogue Replacement, also known as looping or dubbing. This is the critical process in film and TV whereby dialogue is recorded in a studio for any number of reasons: to replace existing production sound that is not usable either for technical considerations (usually due to a noisy location) or editorial ones (lines of dialogue have been changed); to add a voice-over to a film (often planned from the outset, but occasionally added at the last moment to help clarify a hazy plot); to ad [Search jobs...] Aerial Specialist Camera Pilots fly the aircraft that carries the aerial camera crew (aerial director of photography (DoP) and aerial camera assistant). Together they shoot the aerial sequences that form part of the finished feature film. Camera Pilots are also responsible for flying any aircraft, including helicopters, planes, hot air balloons, etc., that appear as action props in finished films. This may involve performing difficult stunts requiring a high degree of expertise and experience. Camera Pilots may a [Search jobs...] Agent's Assistant Works under the company CEO as an assistant to the firm. Will be required to manage day-to-day activities in the office, as well as mailings, maintain and build client relations, media public relations, and any other duties assigned by their superiors. [Search jobs...] Anchor Anchor/Presenters work at the front line of television and radio. They introduce and host programs, read the news, interview people and report on issues and events. As the number of channels and radio stations increases, so do the openings, but opportunities to become a Presenter are still scarce and competition is fierce.  Presenters work across the whole spectrum of broadcasting — national and regional television and radio, satellite and cable channels — and also in the non broadcast se [Search jobs...] Animator Animation is the art of making images that appear to come to life on screen. It features in all kinds of media, from feature films to commercials, pop videos, computer games and websites. Animators use a range of techniques to make images appear to move, and most specialize in one of the following:   * 2D drawn animation   * 2D computer animation   * stop frame or stop motion animation   * 3D computer generated (CG) animation 2D drawn animation consists of a series of images whi [Search jobs...] Animator (with Live Action) A live action/animated film is a motion picture that features a combination of real actors or elements: live action and animated elements, typically interacting. Originally, animation was combined with live action in several ways, sometimes as simply as double printing two negatives onto the same release print. More sophisticated techniques used optical printers or aerial image animation cameras, which enabled more exact positioning, and better interaction of actors and animated characters. O [Search jobs...] Art Dept Coordinator The Art Department Coordinator is a position on the production crew that is responsible for overseeing the entire Art Department. They are concerned with implementing and executing all of the visual artistry of on set. He or she will work under the production designer and art director to complete the 'look' of the film. [Search jobs...] Art Dept, Swing Set Dressers who dress and strike sets, as well as pick up and return the dressing. They work apart from the shooting crew, as they are always either prepping a set for shooting or striking it after it's been shot. [Search jobs...] Art Director Art Directors act as project managers for the biggest department on any film - the art department. They facilitate the production designer's creative vision for all the locati


Which American disc jockey is credited with putting the name to 'Rock 'n' Roll' music?

America Rocks and Rolls [ushistory.org] 53d. America Rocks and Rolls The prosperity of the '50s allowed teenagers to spend money on records by their favorite bands and singers. Rock and roll was everything the suburban 1950s were not. While parents of the decade were listening to Frank Sinatra, Perry Como, and big bands, their children were moving to a new beat. In fact, to the horror of the older generation, their children were twisting, thrusting, bumping, and grinding to the sounds of rock and roll. This generation of youth was much larger than any in recent memory, and the prosperity of the era gave them money to spend on records and phonographs. By the end of the decade, the phenomenon of rock and roll helped define the difference between youth and adulthood. The Roots of Rock Alan Freed, the Cleveland disc jockey credited with coining the phrase "rock and roll," was the master of ceremonies at many of the first rock concerts, including his 1955 Easter Jubilee. The roots of rock and roll lay in African American blues and gospel. As the Great Migration brought many African Americans to the cities of the north, the sounds of rhythm and blues attracted suburban teens. Due to segregation and racist attitudes, however, none of the greatest artists of the genre could get much airplay. Disc jockey Alan Freed began a rhythm-and-blues show on a Cleveland radio station. Soon the audience grew and grew, and Freed coined the term "rock and roll." Early attempts by white artists to cover R&B songs resulted in weaker renditions that bled the heart and soul out of the originals. Record producers saw the market potential and began to search for a white artist who could capture the African American sound. Chuck Berry's songs about girls and cars hit a nerve with American teens and sent his star rising high in the early days of rock and roll. Sam Phillips, a Memphis record producer, found the answer in Elvis Presley. With a deep Southern sound, pouty lips, and gyrating hips, Elvis took an old style and made it his own. From Memphis, the sound spread to other cities, and demand for Elvis records skyrocketed. Within two years, Elvis was the most popular name in the entertainment business. After the door to rock and roll acceptance was opened, African American performers such as Chuck Berry, Fats Domino, and Little Richard began to enjoy broad success, as well. White performers such as Buddy Holly and Jerry Lee Lewis also found artistic freedom and commercial success. Satan's Music Elvis Presley brought rock-and-roll music to the masses during the 1950s with hits such as "Love Me Tender" and "Heartbreak Hotel." Rock and roll sent shockwaves across America. A generation of young teenagers collectively rebelled against the music their parents loved. In general, the older generation loathed rock and roll. Appalled by the new styles of dance the movement evoked, churches proclaimed it Satan's music. Because rock and roll originated among the lower classes and a segregated ethnic group, many middle-class whites thought it was tasteless. Rock and roll records were banned from many radio stations and hundreds of schools. But the masses spoke louder. When Elvis appeared on TV's The Ed Sullivan Show, the show's ratings soared. Rock and roll is the most brutal, ugly, degenerate, vicious form of expression — lewd, sly, in plain fact, dirty — a rancid-smelling aphrodisiac and the martial music of every side-burned delinquent on the face of the earth. – Frank Sinatra (1957) The commercial possibilities were limitless. As a generation of young adults finished military service, bought houses in suburbia, and longed for stability and conformity, their children seemed to take comfort for granted. They wanted to release the tensions that bubbled beneath the smooth surface of postwar America. Above all, they wanted to shake, rattle, and roll.


Which military operation of World War II had the codename 'Operation Dynamo'?

Operation Dynamo | World War II Wiki | Fandom powered by Wikia Edit The evacuation was ordered on 26 May 1940. Operating under the direction of Vice Admiral Ramsey, the evacuation was carried out, under the cover of RAF Fighter Command, by a force of destroyers, yachts and other vessels, [2] including a number of trawlers, cross channel ferries, pleasure steamers and cabin cruisers operated by their civilian owners, who declined to hand their craft over to the Royal Navy due to their determination to directly assist with the evacuation effort. [3] On 28 May, the deterioration in weather conditions resulted in the French coast being covered in very low cloud. This ensured that the Luftwaffe were unable to carry out attacks against the beach head, resulting in the evacuation of 17,084 troops. The following day, visibility in the area improved sufficiently to permit attacks against the evacuation fleet by Junkers Ju-87s of VIII Fligerkorps, supported by Junkers Ju 88s of KG30 and LG1. These attacks resulted in the loss of three escorting destroyers and damage to seven other ships. German losses amounted to fifteen Bf 109Es and a single Ju-88, shot down by the Boulton Paul Defiants of 264 Squadron. The return of bad weather on 31 May, which persisted over the next few days, led to the Ju-87s being grounded by fog. By the end of 31 May, a further 47,310 troops had been evacuated. [4] Thanks to the assistance of the civilian ships, Operation Dynamo resulted in the evacuation of 200,000 British troops, as well as 130,000 French and 10,000 from other nations. [3] The speed of the evacuation meant a lot of equipment had to be left behind, including a number of Boys Anti-tank rifles , which the Germans briefly used, as the 13.9mm Panzerabwehrbusche 792(e), to supplement their defences during the construction of the Atlantic Wall. [5] References


Which London station did the 'Flying Scotsman' depart from on it's daily journey to Edinburgh?

'The world's most famous train' - The Flying Scotsman celebrates 150 years - BBC News 'The world's most famous train' - The Flying Scotsman celebrates 150 years By Liz Rawlings BBC Scotland news 18 June 2012 Read more about sharing. Close share panel Image caption The Flying Scotsman has also been known as the 'Special Scotch Express', 'The Flying Scotchman' and the 'Ten O'Clock' "Take me by the Flying Scotsman." 18 June 2012 is a landmark in Britain's railway history Bob Gwynne, National Railway Museum These were the words emblazoned across a London and North Eastern Railway (LNER) poster in 1932 promoting the famous London-Edinburgh train service. The poster wasn't re-issued - its futurist art design was unpopular at the time - but the sentiment has survived. For many, the Flying Scotsman epitomises the nostalgia, romance and glamour associated with rail travel of a by-gone era. The Flying Scotsman - the train often labelled "the most famous in the world" - celebrates 150 years in operation this month. A named, daily passenger service between London's King's Cross station and Edinburgh called the Flying Scotsman has been running since 18 June 1862. Not to be confused with 'Flying Scotsman' - the engine, which, in 1923 was given the same name as the East Coast Main Line's most illustrious express to honour the service. 'Forgotten man' Image caption The Flying Scotsman was sped up in 1932, with LNER promoting the service with this poster Bob Gwynne, associate curator of rail vehicles at the National Railway Museum in York - where the engine 'Flying Scotsman' is being restored - said the famous train came about because of one forgotten man. He said: "18 June 2012 is a landmark in Britain's railway history, thanks to the forgotten story of one man. "150 years ago at 10:00, a new service, the 'Special Scotch Express' was launched from London King's Cross going north and from Edinburgh Waverley going south at 10:00. Mr Gwynne said the train was the idea of Walter Leith, General Passenger Supt of the Great Northern Railway, whose story has since been erased from all popular history of the service. He said: "Leith's innovative idea saw the introduction of through carriages up to Scotland at a time when the East Coast Main Line was operated by three separate railway companies." In 1862 the journey time was 10 and a half hours between London and Edinburgh. The service now runs at a time of four hours, operated by East Coast. History From the 1920s the train was considered the height of luxury. Onboard there were first-class restaurant facilities, a cocktail bar and radio equipment, so passengers could hear the horse-racing results. There was even a hairdressing salon where men could have their facial hair shaved with an open razor, made possible because the barber's chair was set in such a position that there would be "no jolting". The train's hairdresser was reportedly known as "Sweeney Todd of the Rails", given his precarious trade. Image caption In the 1920s the train even had a barber on board In 1928 the train broke the record for the longest regular non-stop train journey in the world, when the LNER ran an express service for the entire 393-mile route. This record would last until 1948, when, unintentionally, the train broke its own record. The Flying Scotsman ran for 408 and a half miles in May of that year when flood damage to the main line caused diversions via St Boswells and Kelso. Throughout World War II The Flying Scotsman was one of the few titled trains that continued to operate along the East Coast - it carried troops between London and Scotland, although the headboards and roofboards were removed for security. And, on 21 June 1958, in a historic move which would signal the decline of steam, The Flying Scotsman was hauled for the first time by a diesel locomotive. 'Set clocks' The service is currently run by government-owned East Coast. In May 2011 they relaunched the service, painting one of their locomotives, the Class 91 No. 91101 with Flying Scotsman branding. At the launch East Coast said the move was "part


What was the title of the only painting that Vincent van Gogh sold during his lifetime?

The Lore: Van Gogh Sold Only One Painting During His Life The Lore: Van Gogh Sold Only One Painting During His Life The Red Vineyards at Arles, 1888, by Vincent Van Gogh.  Heritage Images/Hulton Fine Art/Getty Images By Lisa Marder Updated May 31, 2016. Although lore has it that the post-Impressionist painter , Vincent van Gogh (1853-1890) , sold only one painting during his lifetime, different theories exist. The one painting commonly thought to have been sold is  The Red Vineyard at Arles (The Vigne Rouge) , now located at the Pushkin Museum of Fine Arts in Moscow.  However, some sources posit that different paintings sold first, and that other paintings and drawings were sold or bartered in addition to The Red Vineyard at Arles. However, it is true that The Red Vineyard at Arles is the only painting sold during van Gogh's lifetime the name of which we actually know, and that was "officially" recorded and acknowledged by the art world, and hence the lore persists. Of course, bearing in mind that van Gogh didn't start painting until he was twenty-seven years old, and died when he was thirty-seven, it would not be unremarkable that he did not sell many. Furthermore, the paintings that were to become famous were the ones produced after he went to Arles, France in 1888, only two years before he died. continue reading below our video Profile of Vincent van Gogh What is remarkable is that just a few decades after his death his art would become well-known worldwide and that he would eventually become one of the most famous artists ever. Red Vineyard at Arles In 1889 Van Gogh was invited to participate in a group show in Brussels called the XX (or the Vingtistes). Van Gogh suggested to his brother, Theo, an art dealer and Van Gogh's agent, that he send six paintings to be exhibited with the group, one of which was The Red Vineyard.   Anna Boch , a Belgian artist and art collector, bought the painting in early 1890 for 400 Belgian francs, perhaps because she liked the painting and wanted to show her support for Van Gogh, whose work was being criticized; perhaps to help him financially; and perhaps to please her brother, Eugène, whom she knew was a friend of Vincent's. (1) Eugène Boch, like his sister Anna, was also a painter and had visited Van Gogh in Arles, France in 1888. They became friends and Van Gogh painted his portrait, which he called The Poet. According to the notes at the Musée d'Orsay where the  portrait of Eugène Boch  is now located, it seems that The Poet hung in van Gogh's room in the Yellow House in Arles for awhile as evidenced by the fact that it is seen in the first version of The Bedroom, which is in the Van Gogh Museum (Amsterdam). Apparently Anna Boch owned two paintings of Van Gogh's and her brother, Eugène, owned several. (2) Anna Boch sold The Red Vineyard in 1906, though, for 10,000 francs, and it was sold again that same year to a Russian textile business man, Sergei Shchukin. It was given to the Pushkin Museum by the State of Russia in 1948. Van Gogh painted The Red Vineyard from memory in early November 1888 while the artist, Paul Gauguin was living with him in Arles. It is a dramatic landscape painting in saturated autumnal reds and yellows punctuated by the blue clothing of workers in a vineyard, with a bright yellow sky and sun reflected in the river adjacent to the vineyard. The viewer's eye is drawn through the landscape by the strong diagonal line that leads to the high horizon and the setting sun in the distance.   In one of his many letters to his brother, Theo, Van Gogh tells him he is "working on a vineyard, all purple and yellow" and goes on to describe it further, "But if only you’d been with us on Sunday! We saw a red vineyard, completely red like red wine. In the distance it became yellow, and then a green sky with a sun, fields violet and sparkling yellow here and there after the rain in which the setting sun was reflected." (3) In a subsequent letter to Theo, Vincent says about this painting, "I’m going to set myself to work often from memory, and the canvases done from memory are


In which country is the source of the River Danube?

Countries of the Danube River Basin | ICPDR - International Commission for the Protection of the Danube River Countries of the Danube River Basin Countries of the Danube River Basin 19 countries share the Danube River Basin, which makes it the world’s most international river basin. More than 81 million people of different cultures and languages call the Danube Basin their home, for centuries they have been interconnected through the widely ramified water system of the Danube. All countries sharing over 2,000 km² of the Danube River Basin and the European Union are contracting parties of the ICPDR. Below, you find a table with some general information on all countries that have a share in the Danube River Basin. You can also find more detailed information for those countries which are contracting parties of the ICPDR on dedicated pages: Germany - Austria - Czech Republic - Slovakia - Hungary - Slovenia - Croatia - Bosnia and Herzegovina - Serbia - Montenegro - Romania - Bulgaria - Moldova - Ukraine . Basic information on the countries in the Danube River Basin Country


The 'Battle of Agincourt' took place during which war?

The Battle of Agincourt took place during which war?????????? View the step-by-step solution to: The Battle of Agincourt took place during which war?????????? This question was answered on Jun 04, 2016. View the Answer The Battle of Agincourt took place during which war?????????? KarolEland                                                   posted a question · Jun 04, 2016 at 7:21am Top Answer Here is the answer... View the full answer {[ getNetScore(29915238) ]} Dr.Lucy answered the question · Jun 04, 2016 at 7:22am Other Answers Here is the explanation for... View the full answer {[ getNetScore(29915242) ]} nickmom98 answered the question · Jun 04, 2016 at 7:22am Hundred Years' War Explanation The Battle of Agincourt was a major victory for... View the full answer {[ getNetScore(29915244) ]} What was the purpose of the monopolies on salt and iron? What relevance do the arguments expressed in this debate have for other times and places? Are the Recently Asked Questions Need a World History tutor? brightkesenwa 4 World History experts found online! Average reply time is                       7 mins Get Homework Help Why Join Course Hero? Course Hero has all the homework and study help you need to succeed! We’ve got course-specific notes, study guides, and practice tests along with expert tutors and customizable flashcards—available anywhere, anytime. - - Study Documents Find the best study resources around, tagged to your specific courses. Share your own to gain free Course Hero access or to earn money with our Marketplace. - Question & Answers Get one-on-one homework help from our expert tutors—available online 24/7. Ask your own questions or browse existing Q&A threads. Satisfaction guaranteed! - Flashcards Browse existing sets or create your own using our digital flashcard system. A simple yet effective studying tool to help you earn the grade that you want!


What is the ballet term for a leap taking off from one foot and landing on the other?

Ballet Terms Dictionary - BalletHub Ballet Terms Dictionary Learn Ballet Vocabulary BalletHub / Ballet Terms Dictionary Welcome to BalletHub’s Ballet Terms Dictionary.  Here you can find and browse our online dictionary for ballet terms.  Every ballet term will include it’s definition and a simple explanation possibly along with picture and video demonstration by professional ballet dancers.  You can find new entries weekly until our entire ballet term dictionary is complete with all ballet terms! A Allégro In ballet, allégro is a term applied to bright, fast or brisk steps and movement.  All steps where the dancer jumps are considered allégro, such as sautés, jetés, cabrioles, assemblés, and so on. Allégro in Ballet Class In ballet class, allégro combinations are usually done toward the last part of class, as the dancer is […] Arabesque In ballet, arabesque is a position where the body is supported on one leg, with the other leg extended directly behind the body with a straight knee. The standing leg can be straight or in plie, but the back leg must always be straight.  Arabesque can be found in almost every aspect of a ballet, both […] Assemblé An assemblé in classical ballet has many different variations, but the basics are always the same: two legs joining together in the air. In a basic form, an assemblé is when one foot slides along the floor before brushing into the air.  As the foot goes into the air, the dancer then jumps by pushing into […] Attitude An attitude in classical ballet is a position where the dancer is standing on one leg with the other lifted, usually to the front (devant) or back (derrière).  The leg in the air is bent at the knee so that it forms roughly a 145 degree angle. The attitude position is commonly seen throughout many […] Avant, en En avant in classical ballet refers to the direction of the execution for a step, specifically moving forward or to the front.  En avant is not an actual step or position itself and is almost always used with other terms, such as tendu en avant, which would mean to tendu directly toward the front. Adagio In ballet, Adagio refers to slow movement, typically performed with the greatest amount of grace and fluidity than other movements of dance. Adagio in Ballet Class In a classical ballet class, an adagio combination or lesson will concentrate on slow movement to help improve a dancer’s ability to control leg movement and extension, all while […] B Balançoire Balançoire is a ballet term applied to exercises such as grande battements or degagés.  When a dancer is doing a combination with balançoire, they will repeatedly swing their leg from front to back and may tilt their upper body slightly forward or backwards, opposite to the direction their leg is moving. Ballerina The term ballerina is originally meant as the rank of a principal female dancer in a ballet company.  When it was originally used, this meant that not every female dancer in the ballet company was considered a ballerina, and instead by their rank or simply as “a ballet dancer”.  Today, a leading female ballet dancer is […] Ballerino Ballerino is used in Italian for a “male dancer” who dances principal roles in a ballet company.  As ballerino is not commonly used in English speaking countries, it doesn’t hold much regard or honor as the term ballerina does and is sometimes used sarcastically to describe a male dancer.  Today, boys or men who dance […] Ballet blanc Ballet blanc is a term often applied to any ballet where the dancers wear traditional “romantic” tutus of white color, originally designed by Eugène Lami for Marie Tagliono in the ballet “La Sylphide.”  Other examples of white ballets include Giselle and Les Sylphides. Battement Développé Battement Développé is a classical ballet term meaning “battement developed.”  From a fifth position, the dancer moves their working foot up to a retiré position and opens to the front, side or back with a deliberate motion.  A battement développé finishes by closing back into fifth position. Battement Fondu Battement Fondu is a classical ballet term me