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madrigal

(Encyclopedia)madrigal, name for two different forms of Italian music, one related to the poetic madrigal in the 14th cent., the other the most common form of secular vocal music in the 16th cent. The poetic madrig...

Esther

(Encyclopedia)Esther ĕsˈtər [key], book of the Bible. It is the tale of the beautiful Jewish woman Esther [Heb.,= Hadassah], who is chosen as queen by the Persian King Ahasuerus (Xerxes I or II) after he has rep...

Pisanello

(Encyclopedia)Pisanello pēzänĕlˈlō [key], c.1395–1455?, Italian medalist, painter, and draftsman of the early Renaissance. He was also called Vittore Pisano, but his real name was Antonio Pisano. His art sho...

Strang, James Jesse

(Encyclopedia)Strang, James Jesse străng [key], 1813–56, American Mormon leader, b. Cayuga co., N.Y. A lawyer, teacher, and newspaperman, he migrated in 1843 to Wisconsin, was converted to Mormonism and baptized...

Wallenberg, Raoul

(Encyclopedia)Wallenberg, Raoul räo͞olˈ vălˈĕnbâr [key] 1912–47, Swedish diplomat and businessman. In 1944, he was assigned to Sweden's legation in Budapest, where he helped save approximately 100,000 Hung...

Preti, Mattia

(Encyclopedia)Preti, Mattia mät-tēˈä prĕˈtē [key], 1613–99, Italian baroque painter, called Il Calabrese for his birthplace. Preti went to Rome c.1630 and studied with Lanfranco. His most dramatic works we...

Hampson, Thomas

(Encyclopedia)Hampson, Thomas, 1955–, American baritone, b. Elkhart, Ind. An elegant, intelligent, and versatile vocal artist, he has performed in operas, operettas, oratorios, musicals, and recitals. Hampson won...

Moretto, Il

(Encyclopedia)Moretto, Il ēl mōrĕtˈtō [key], c.1498–1554, Italian painter, whose real name was Alessandro Bonvicino. He was a leading representative of the Brescian school. While following the art of the Ven...

Messina, Strait of

(Encyclopedia)Messina, Strait of, channel, c.20 mi (32 km) long and from 2 to 10 mi (3.2–16 km) wide, separating the Italian peninsula from Sicily and connecting the Ionian and Tyrrhenian seas. Reggio di Calabria...

Mario

(Encyclopedia)Mario märˈyō [key], 1810–83, stage name of Giovanni Matteo, Cavaliere di Candia, Italian tenor. An officer of the Piedmontese guard, he went to Paris in 1836 and studied at the Paris Conservatory...