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Callas, Maria Meneghini

(Encyclopedia)Callas, Maria Meneghini märēˈä mĕnĕgēˈnē käˈläs [key], 1923–77, Greek-American soprano, b. New York City. At 13, Callas moved to Greece, where she studied at the Royal Conservatory in At...

Urban, Joseph Maria

(Encyclopedia)Urban, Joseph Maria ûrˈbən [key], 1872–1933, American architect and scene designer, b. Vienna. He won distinction with his architectural work, including the bridge across the Neva at St. Petersbu...

Pinza, Ezio

(Encyclopedia)Pinza, Ezio ātsˈyō pēnˈtsä [key], 1892–1957, Italian bass, b. Rome, studied at the Bologna Conservatory. After military service (1915–19), he resumed his operatic career in Rome, later singi...

Bache, Jules Semon

(Encyclopedia)Bache, Jules Semon, 1861–1944, American banker and art collector, b. New York City. He made an immense fortune on Wall St., organized the banking firm of J. S. Bache and Company, and was director of...

Ailey, Alvin, Jr.

(Encyclopedia)Ailey, Alvin, Jr. āˈlē [key], 1931–89, American modern dancer and choreographer, b. Rogers, Tex. Ailey studied in Los Angeles with Lester Horton, whose strong, dramatic style and views about mult...

Harris, Barbara Clementine

(Encyclopedia)Harris, Barbara Clementine, 1930–2020, American Episcopal bishop, b. Philadelphia. An African American, Harris was active in the civil-rights movement in the 1960s (and remained active in social cau...

Caballé, Montserrat

(Encyclopedia)Caballé, Montserrat mōnsĕrätˈ käbälyāˈ [key], 1933–2018, Spanish soprano. After voice study with Eugenia Kemeny and Conchita Badia in Barcelona, she made her operatic debut in Basel, Switze...

Voigt, Deborah Joy

(Encyclopedia)Voigt, Deborah Joy voit [key], 1960–, American dramatic soprano, b. Des Plaines, Ill., grad. California Staate Univ., Fullerton (1978). She is particularly known for her performances in the operas o...

Sembrich, Marcella

(Encyclopedia)Sembrich, Marcella sĕmˈbrĭk [key], 1858–1935, stage name of Praxede Marcelline Kochanska, Polish coloratura soprano. She studied piano and violin at the Lemberg Conservatory. Urged by Liszt to tr...

Vestris, Gaetan

(Encyclopedia)Vestris, Gaetan gäātäNˈ vĕsˈtrēs [key], 1729–1808, Italian-French classical dancer, b. Florence. Vestris was one of the greatest dancers of the 18th cent. Born of an Italian theatrical family...