Monday, June 20, 2005

 

Spotlight: Cellist and composer Jacques Offenbach was born on this date in 1819. One of the creators of the operetta, Offenbach was most famous for the more serious opera, Tales of Hoffmann. Though the opera was unfinished at the time of Offenbach's death, his best friend, Ernest Guiraud, completed the opera for him, and it was first performed in 1881. Sixty years later it was made into a movie.

Quote: "No opera plot can be sensible, for people do not sing when they are feeling sensible." – W.H. Auden

Word of the day: barcarole: a song sung by Venetian gondoliers; Tales of Hoffman includes one of the most famous barcaroles. (© )

Today's News:

• Tiger Woods: loses US Open by 2 to Michael Campbell (story)
• gasoline: are you paying more to fuel up than the folks across town? (story)
• happy slapping: criminal craze perpetrated by yobs sweeping the UK (story)

Today's History:

• Lizzie Borden: found innocent of murdering her parents (1893)
• Bugsy Siegel: organized crime leader was shot to death (1947)
• trans-Alaska pipeline: started transporting crude oil (1977)

Today's Birthdays:

• Errol Flynn: swashbuckling actor (1909-1959)
• Lionel Richie: singer of "All Night Long" (56)
• Nicole Kidman: Best Actress Oscar winner for The Hours (38)