(Encyclopedia) Scarlatti, AlessandroScarlatti, Alessandroälĕs-sänˈdrō skärlätˈtē [key], 1660–1725, Italian composer. He may have studied with Carissimi in Rome, where his first opera was produced in…
(Encyclopedia) SforzaSforzasfôrˈtsä [key], Italian family that ruled the duchy of Milan from 1450 to 1535. Rising from peasant origins, the Sforzas became condottieri and used this military position…
(Encyclopedia) Hebbel, Christian FriedrichHebbel, Christian Friedrichkrĭsˈtyän frēˈdrĭkh hĕbˈəl [key], 1813–63, German tragic dramatist. Born poor, he was largely self-educated. Hegel's historical…
(Encyclopedia) James, Thomas, 1593?–1635?, English navigator and explorer (1631) of James Bay. Financed by Bristol merchants, he sailed in command of the Henrietta Maria in the spring of 1631 to find…
(Encyclopedia) Matamoros, MarianoMatamoros, Marianomäryäˈnō mätämōˈrōs [key], d. 1814, Mexican revolutionist in the war against Spain. He was, like Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla and José María Morelos y…
(Encyclopedia) Marschner, Heinrich AugustMarschner, Heinrich Augusthīnˈrĭkh ouˈg&oobreve;st märshˈnər [key], 1795–1861, German opera composer. Marschner's first opera, Heinrich IV und d'Aubigné,…
(Encyclopedia) Piranesi, Giovanni BattistaPiranesi, Giovanni Battistajōvänˈnē bät-tēˈstä pēränāˈzē [key], 1720–78, Italian etcher and architect. The greater part of his life was spent in Rome, where…
(Encyclopedia) Prada, Miuccia, 1949–, Italian fashion designer, b. Milan as Maria Bianchi. She studied political science (Ph.D. Univ. of Milan, 1973) and then studied and performed mime at Milan's…
(Encyclopedia) PratoPratopräˈtō [key] or Prato in ToscanaPrato in Toscanaēn tōskäˈnä [key], city (1991 pop. 165,707), Tuscany, central Italy. It is a major textile-making center, known for its wool…
(Encyclopedia) Viardot-Garcia, PaulineViardot-Garcia, Paulinepōlēnˈ vyärdōˈ-gärsēäˈ [key], 1821–1910, French mezzo-soprano; sister of Maria Malibran; pupil of her father, Manuel García. Following her…
