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Gounod, Charles François

(Encyclopedia)Gounod, Charles François shärl fräNswäˈ go͞onōˈ [key], 1818–93, French composer, studied at the Paris Conservatory and received the Grand Prix de Rome in 1839. His fame rests chiefly on his ...

Lenau, Nikolaus

(Encyclopedia)Lenau, Nikolaus nēmpsh ādˈlər fən shtrāˈlənou [key], 1802–50, Austrian romantic poet, b. Hungary. He is considered Austria's chief lyric poet. Pessimism and melancholy dominate his work, whi...

Bacow, Lawrence Seldon

(Encyclopedia)Bacow, Lawence Seldon, 1951–, American educator and lawyer, b. Detroit, S.B. Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 1972, J.D., M.P.P. Harvard, 1976, Ph.D. Harvard, 1978. Bacow was on the faculty at...

Goethe, Johann Wolfgang von

(Encyclopedia)Goethe, Johann Wolfgang von yōˈhän vôlfˈgäng fən göˈtə [key], 1749–1832, German poet, dramatist, novelist, and scientist, b. Frankfurt. One of the great masters of world literature, his ge...

closet drama

(Encyclopedia)closet drama, a play that is meant to be read rather than performed. Precursors of the form existed in classical times. Plato's Apology is often regarded as tragic drama rather than philosophic dialog...

Murnau, Friedrich W.

(Encyclopedia)Murnau, Friedrich W. frēˈdrĭkh mo͝orˈnou [key], 1889–1931, German film director, b. as Friedrich W. Plumpe. He began directing films in Germany in 1919 and went to Hollywood in 1927. Murnau's f...

Devrient, Ludwig

(Encyclopedia)Devrient, Ludwig lo͝otˈvĭkh dəvrēăNˈ [key], 1784–1832, German actor. He abandoned a commercial career in 1804 to join a traveling theatrical company. In Berlin he was a favorite in comedy and...

Björling, Jussi

(Encyclopedia)Björling, Jussi yo͞osˈsĭ byörˈlĭng [key], 1911–60, Swedish tenor. He studied at the Royal Opera School in Stockholm, making his debut there in 1930 as Don Ottavio in Mozart's Don Giovanni. He...

Spohr, Ludwig

(Encyclopedia)Spohr, Ludwig or Louis lo͝otˈvĭkh shpōr, lo͞oˈē [key], 1784–1859, German composer, conductor, and violinist. After touring Europe extensively, he was (1822–57) court conductor in Kassel. Hi...

Walburga, Saint

(Encyclopedia)Walburga, Saint wôlbûrˈgə [key], d. c.779, English missionary in Germany; sister of St. Willibald. She went there to assist St. Boniface, settling at Heidenheim, near Eichstätt (NW of Ingolstadt)...

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