Month: May 2020

Oberammergau Passion Play

The Oberammergau Passion Play has been held since the 17th century in the small woodcarving village of Oberammergau, Germany, in the Bavarian Alps. The play, depicting the story of Christ’s suffering, crucifixion, and resurrection, is presented in six hours by a cast of about 2,000. All performers are villagers, and the 600 with speaking parts are required to have been born in Oberammergau. Legend says that the play was first performed in 1634 in fulfillment of a vow to God that they would reenact the Passion if he would spare the villagers from the plague. Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

The Garden of Eden

In the Bible, the Garden of Eden is the first home to humankind, a harmonious, idyllic paradise. There, God created Adam and Eve, the first humans. Having eaten fruit from the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil—against God’s orders—they were banished from the garden. While the location of the garden itself is not specified or known, its location is described in reference to places that are. What geographic locations have biblical scholars proposed for the Garden of Eden? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

Bergen International Festival

The Bergen International Festival is the major cultural event in Norway, and features more than 100 events in music, drama, folklore, opera, ballet, and the visual arts. Most of the musical events are held in Bergen’s Viking Castle (built in 1250), at the Grieg Concert Hall, at Edvard Grieg’s home (known as “Troldhaugen“), and at Lysoen, the island home of composer and violinist Ole Bull. Although the primary attraction is music, children’s programs, literary events, and art exhibits are featured as well. Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

À rebours

À rebours is an 1884 novel by French author Joris-Karl Huysmans. Translated as Against Nature or Against the Grain, the novel follows Jean Des Esseintes, the last member of a noble family. Disgusted with his decadent life in Paris, he retreats to the countryside and immerses himself in art and philosophy, becoming somewhat deranged. Though not mentioned by name, À rebours is thought to be the book that heavily influences what famous novel’s titular character? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

French Open Tennis

The French Open is one of the four major tournaments that make up the Grand Slam of tennis. (The others are the Australian Open, the United States Open, and Wimbledon.) The French National Championship, played at the Stade Roland Garros in Auteil, France, on red-clay courts, was instituted in 1891 but wasn’t opened to players from other nations until 1925. It became an open (to both amateurs and professionals) in 1968. Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

Barbara McClintock

McClintock was an American geneticist. In the 1940s and 50s, her experiments with variations in the coloration of kernels of maize revealed that genes are not stationary, but can “jump” on the chromosome. She isolated two control elements in genetic material and found not only that they moved, but also that their transposition affected the behavior of neighboring genes. In 1983, she was belatedly awarded a Nobel Prize in Physiology. Why did she stop publishing her findings in the 50s? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

General Clinton Canoe Regatta

Originally a re-creation of the historic trip down the Susquehanna River by General James Clinton during the Revolutionary War, this well-known canoe regatta now has three divisions, one for professionals and two for amateurs. The professional race is the longest one-day race of its kind and covers a 70-mile stretch of the river between Cooperstown and Bainbridge, New York. The regatta extends for three and a half days over the Memorial Day weekend. In addition to the races, a carnival and many other activities for spectators are held at General Clinton Park. Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

Zaal

Zaal is a legendary warrior in the Persian Shahnameh, or Book of Kings. Born an albino, he is abandoned on a mountain, where he is found by a giant phoenix-like bird, the Simurgh, that takes him to her nest and raises him. Years later, his father—a king—reclaims him. The Simurgh is heartbroken at Zaal’s departure and gives him three feathers for protection. He marries a princess descended from an evil king and fathers the great Persian hero Rostam. When does Zaal use the feathers? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary