Month: July 2022

Mikhail Baryshnikov

Baryshnikov is a world renowned Russian-American dancer and choreographer. He began studying dance in Riga, Latvia, where he was raised, and soon earned himself a coveted spot with the Kirov Ballet, one of the foremost ballet companies in Russia. In 1974, while on tour with the company, he defected to the West and joined the American Ballet Theatre, where he later served as artistic director. He has also tried his hand at acting and has appeared in a number of films and TV shows, such as what? Discuss

S.A. Andrée Attempts to Reach the North Pole by Balloon (1897)

After gaining funding from the likes of King Oscar II and Alfred Nobel and generating widespread public interest, Swedish explorer Salomon August Andrée and two companions departed from Norway’s Svalbard for the North Pole in a hydrogen balloon. They flew for two days before a hydrogen leak grounded the balloon, forcing the poorly equipped trio to travel on pack ice. Three months later, the men reached the island of Kvitøya, where they eventually died. When was their last camp finally found? Discuss

St. Placidus Festival

Sankt Placidusfest is a religious procession held on July 11 at Disentis, Switzerland, in honor of St. Placidus, who was murdered near the Benedictine abbey that he and St. Sigisbert helped establish there in 614. Every year, the relics of St. Placidus and St. Sigisbert are carried in a solemn procession from the abbey to the parish church and back through the village to the abbey. Traditionally, during the ceremonies, parishioners in colorful folk costumes chant the old, and very long, “Song of St. Placidus.” Discuss

Nicolai Gedda (1925)

Gedda is a famed Swedish tenor known for his vocal control. He has made some 200 recordings and is said to be the most recorded tenor in history. In 1952, he made his debut at the Royal Swedish Opera and went on to collaborate with conductor Herbert von Karajan. Gedda then went to Italy and gained international fame, performing all over the world at venues such as the Paris Opera and the Metropolitan Opera. How did Gedda go from being a bank teller to a world-famous tenor? Discuss

Origami

Origami is the traditional Japanese art of folding paper into decorative or representative shapes. Its early history is unknown, but it likely developed from the older art of folding cloth. Over the centuries, an extensive literature has developed around the art form, helping spread the practice far beyond Japan’s borders. The crane is a favorite subject of the origami tradition. According to legend, anyone who folds a thousand origami cranes will be granted a wish. What is kirigami? Discuss

The Bahamas Gain Independence from the British Commonwealth (1973)

The Bahama Islands became a British colony in the 18th century, when they were a haven for pirates such as Blackbeard. After the American Revolution, many Loyalists settled there, bringing slaves to labor on cotton plantations. Later, during the prohibition era in the US, the Bahamas became a base for rum-running. It was not until 1973 that the islands became a sovereign state within the Commonwealth of Nations. What happened to the native tribe that Columbus first encountered there in 1492? Discuss