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Vigo, Francis

(Encyclopedia)Vigo, Francis vēˈgō, vīˈgō [key], 1747–1836, American frontier trader and merchant, supporter of the American Revolution. He was born at Mondovi, Italy, and originally named Giuseppe Maria Fra...

Hugo, Victor Marie, Vicomte

(Encyclopedia)Hugo, Victor Marie, Vicomte hyo͞oˈgō, Fr. vēktôrˈ märēˈ vēkôNtˈ ügōˈ [key], 1802–85, French poet, dramatist, and novelist, b. Besançon. His father was a general under Napoleon. As a ...

Miller, Sir Jonathan Wolfe

(Encyclopedia)Miller, Sir Jonathan Wolfe, 1934–2019, English director, actor, writer, and physician; during his long career in the performing arts, he at times devoted himself to medicine. Miller made his first L...

Anderson, Marian

(Encyclopedia)Anderson, Marian, 1897–1993, American contralto, b. Philadelphia. She was the first African American to be named a permanent member of the Metropolitan Opera Company, as well as the first to perform...

Manzoni, Alessandro

(Encyclopedia)Manzoni, Alessandro älās-sänˈdrō mändzôˈnē [key], 1785–1873, Italian novelist and poet. Taken in his youth to Paris by his mother in 1805, Manzoni embraced the deism that he was later to di...

requiem

(Encyclopedia)requiem rĕkˈwēəm, rēˈ–, rāˈ– [key] [Lat.,=rest], proper Mass for the souls of the dead, performed on All Souls' Day and at funerals. The reformation of Roman Catholic liturgy following the...

Cagliostro, Alessandro, Conte di

(Encyclopedia)Cagliostro, Alessandro, Conte di älĕs-sänˈdrō kōnˈtā dē kälyōˈstrō [key], 1743–95, Italian adventurer, magician, and alchemist, whose real name was Giuseppe Balsamo. After early misadve...

Salvini, Matteo

(Encyclopedia)Salvini, Matteo, 1973–, Italian politician, b. Milan. A member of the right-wing League (formerly the Northern League) from 1990, he served as a Milan city councilor (1993–2012), in Italy's Chambe...

Richter scale

(Encyclopedia)Richter scale rĭkˈtər [key], measure of the magnitude of seismic waves from an earthquake. Devised in 1935 by the American seismologist Charles F. Richter (1900–1985) and technically known as the...

Menotti, Gian-Carlo

(Encyclopedia)Menotti, Gian-Carlo jänˈ-kärˈlō mānôtˈtē [key], 1911–2007, Italian composer. Menotti was taught music by his mother and composed his first opera at 10. He studied at the Verdi Conservatory,...